Early Literacy Skills

I'm sure most of you read to your child, right?  Reading with my kids when they were very small was a part of our regular bedtime ritual that I cherished.  I remember rocking with Thing One and Thing Two every night even as infants reading stories about bugs, trains and cars.  It was a special time.  To this day, they both love reading and see their books as treasured possessions.  They would rather go to the library than Target...isn't that something?

As an educator and home visitor, I am always discussing the importance of reading with the families I work with.  Parents who read to their kids regularly are giving them such an edge academically. 

Parents of very young children sometimes get frustrated that their little one won't listen or sit still for the story.  When reading to toddlers, focus on and discuss the pictures.  As they get older and their attention span increases, they will be more likely to sit still for the story. 

Another tip is to buy books that have little dialog on the page.  I personally found the early reader books were able to hold my kids attention.  Early readers or level one books often have fewer words on each page and often contain rhyming words (which is important for early literacy).  I found a great blog that offers reviews of children's books.  Check it out at Book Buds.

There is a wonderful program called Parents As Teachers that works with families with children ages birth to five to get parents involved in their child's education from birth and help develop early literacy skills.  Check out Reading Together to Build Early Literacy for great information on the benefits of reading to your child.

The Parents as Teachers program is available in most areas nationwide and also has some international programs.  The program offers home visits and playgroups to parents with children ages birth to three.  To learn more about the Parents as Teachers program you can go to their www.parentsasteachers.org or click here to find a program in your area.

Happy reading!

Comments

[Daisy]

I am mom and teacher and reader, and this post was awesome. The best way to raise a reader is to read. I wtill read with my 14-year-old; check out my blog (Compost Happens) if you want to hear more. :)

[Jill Urbane, The Mentor Mom]

So true Daisy! I'm glad you liked the post and thanks for stopping by!