A study published in the Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry evaluated the effectiveness of a parent-led early language program compared to a motor skills program in preschool age children. The primary goal was to assess whether the oral language program would prompt advances in early language and reading skills relative to children who were in the motor skills program. Children were randomly assigned to either the oral language or motor skills programs. The two programs were delivered by parents at the same intensity: 20-minute sessions, 5 days each week for 30 weeks. Parents received training on how to conduct the oral language or movement skills program with their child(ren). The oral language program was used to support language development through shared book reading and teaching of vocabulary and narrative skills. The motor skills program included daily activities focusing on four components: gross motor skills, fine motor skills, pencil control and self-care. Children were assessed before the program began, directly following completion of the assigned program, and 6 months after the completion of the program. Evaluators compared the outcomes of the parent-delivered programs on children's language and developing reading skills. The language program produced improvements in children's language and narrative skills after concluding the 30 weeks and were maintained 6 months after the completion of the program. There were also improvements in some additional early literacy skills, such as letter-sound knowledge and regular word reading, at the delayed follow-up. The motors skills program, on the other hand, did not produce significant improvements in motor skills. In conclusion, although further evaluations are needed to broaden these findings, the results provide evidence that a parent-led language program produced noteworthy improvements in children's early language development.

You can view the full article here: Evaluation of a parent‐delivered early language enrichment programme: evidence from a randomised controlled trial