1. Read! Reading aloud to children is widely recognized as the single most important activity in language development. It builds word-sound awareness, which is a huge predictor of their own reading success. It also builds motivation, curiosity, memory, and of course, vocabulary. When children begin having good experiences with books at a very early age, they are more likely to continue this feeling of enjoyment and confidence with their own reading throughout their lives.阅读，帮助孩子培养对事物的好奇心，激发学习的动力，在体验过从阅读中获得知识的成就感并树立了自信心之后，孩子会渐渐养成阅读的良好习惯。· Find books with pictures for the younger ages (3-6) and allow children to stop and ask questions or talk about the book during your reading times. If possible, let the children choose the books themselves, in this way they will probably show even more interest.· If your host kid likes stories, always bring a book around in your backpack, or leave some in the car. Then you’ll always have something to do when driving to school, or waiting for the host mum at the bank.· Read before bed time each night, or at the end of the school day. Reading can often calm down the children if they have an ounce too much energy in them…
2. Play makes believe!Playing house or other types of fantasy play is very important for children’s imagination as well as their social and language development. They will love nothing more than to have you enter into their little fantasy world.模仿或者角色扮演，对于激发孩子的想象力非常重要，同样也促进了孩子社交和语言的发展。孩子会非常喜欢让大人们进入他们幻想的小小世界。 · Mimic their activities occasionally. If a child picks up a stone and zooms it around like a car, try picking up another one and doing the same. Chances are they will be delighted!· Play “grown ups”! For this game you can use anything, for example boxes, old clothes and hats, purses, telephones, magazines, (non-breakable) cooking utensils and dishes, stuffed animals and dolls, fabric pieces or blankets and sheets (for fort-making), and other random items like post cards, old tickets, coins. All can be used for setting an environment and creating a story. This is especially fun when you’re more than two people playing.
3. Do arts and crafts!Most families have pens, paper and paints at home. Coloring, drawing, and crafts are not only a great way to keep children entertained on a rainy day, but they also help develop children’s fine motor skills, develop their concepts of colors and numbers, and help them see scientific processes like how glue works. Be sure to use age appropriate tools and materials, like child scissors. If you only have a ”grown ups” scissors at home, help your host kid with the cutting.制作手工，有助于提升孩子的动手能力，同时发展他们对于色彩、数字的认知，也帮助他们学习了解事物的科学运作过程。当然，要确保孩子所运用的工具材料与年龄相符。 · For younger kids, try making finger puppets, pasta jewelry, or felt collages together.· Older kids often enjoy magazine collages and making masks.