They can use literacy objects to engage in a variety of literate behaviours. For example, instead of using crayons to experiment with colors, they can use markers to write birthday cards, record library rules, write directions and label objects. The more familiar the children are with play contexts and their corresponding objects, the more they tend to play in increasingly complex ways and use elaborate language, thereby supporting uses of decontextualized language. From a developmental perspective, children may be at varying points of maturity. If children do not perform well, it may be because they have not been exposed to the rules of the activity, which require a certain type of literacy.
Children seem to learn the rules of literate events through guided participation.
Once a child engages in a literate activity, it is important for the educator to let the child introduce the topics. When viewing literacies as a socio-cultural phenomenon, it is important to look at home languages and the role of the family environment in early literate development. Knowing which literate materials exist in children's homes and encouraging children to bring in samples of these items are two ways to validate the literate behaviours from the home culture. For example, preschoolers can bring in food labels, magazines, favourite videos and books in different languages. They can also prepare their own shopping lists, write notes, create bills and keep lists of things to do.