Resources on Early Learning

Tip Sheets

Is your child between the ages of 3 and 5? If so, you can do a lot to make getting ready to read a natural part of daily life. Most 3- to 5-year-olds still have a way to go before they are ready to read and write. You cannot rush this natural growth, but you can help your child build the knowledge, skills, and habits he or she needs to become a reader and a writer later on.

Does your child like to play, run, or build? You can turn these activities into activities that help her get ready to read and write!

• Be sure your child has time to play with other children. He will learn to communicate with others.
• Engage in conversation with your child. Listen to her, and share your own ideas with her. Use “hard” words sometimes, and talk about what they mean.
• Play games with your child using letters, words, numbers, or counting.
• Learning rhythm and rhyme through songs and finger-plays can help a child get ready to read.
• Take your child to grocery stores, parks, museums, art galleries, and community events. You’ll be helping him learn new words and learn more about the world around him.

Show your child how you use reading and writing in your everyday activities.

• When you make a list or leave a note for someone, or when you read the newspaper, a map, or a menu, your child sees that reading and writing are useful!
• Talk with your child about signs, schedules, newspapers, and books, and encourage her to try reading them.
• Read aloud to your child. Don’t know what to read? Your librarian can help.
• Visit the library, and help your youngster get a library card as soon as she can.

Encourage children to draw, write, and use books for fun and learning.

• Keep books, magazines, and games at home where your child can use them.
• Keep materials for drawing and writing where your child can use them.
• When your child draws, ask him to tell you about the picture.
• Write his words down so he can go back to them and “read” them himself.
• Show that you value and respect your child’s efforts to read and write.
• Remember that even scribbles are a step toward writing!
• Choose TV and videos wisely. Some shows are meant to get children interested in reading and writing, like Sesame Street, Dragon Tales, and Between the Lions.
• Choose computer games wisely. Some are designed to help children learn skills they need to read and write, such as Reader Rabbit and Bailey’s Book House.
• The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends that preschool-age children have no more than a total of 1 to 2 hours of high-quality TV or computer time each day. After all, there are so many other things to do!

Want to learn more about what you can do to get preschoolers ready to read? Visit these Web sites!

• Activities to Help Your Child Learn About Language
  http://www.ed.gov/Family/GrowthChart/page2.html
• IEL Interactive Chat: From Chewing to Choosing: Bonding Books and Children
  http://illinoisearlylearning.org/chat/hearne/index.htm
• Let's Write!
  http://www.ed.gov/pubs/parents/LearnPtnrs/write.html
• Reading 1: Preparing for Reading
  http://www.education.pitt.edu/ocd/publications/parentingguides/
  Reading1.pdf
• Reading 2: More about Getting Your Child Ready to Read
  http://www.education.pitt.edu/ocd/publications/parentingguides/
  Reading2.pdf
• Language Development 1
  http://www.education.pitt.edu/ocd/publications/parentingguides/
  LanguageDevelopment1.pdf
• Language Development 2
  http://www.education.pitt.edu/ocd/publications/parentingguides/
  LanguageDevelopment2.pdf

Spanish: Diversión en casa con los niños preescolares: ¡Preparándose para leer!

The opinions, resources, and referrals provided in this Tip Sheet are intended for information purposes only and should not be considered or used as a substitute for medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. We advise parents to seek the advice of a physician or other qualified health care provider with questions regarding their child’s health or medical conditions.

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