Little Lion is approaching 4, and the older he gets, the faster he is learning! Sometimes it blows my mind how quickly he picks things up. This is probably my favorite age yet. It is so much fun watching him soak up the world around him.

While this is not limited to literacy, LL is becoming more and more interested in words, sounds, and reading. As a result, I have been thinking a lot lately about ways I can encourage this learning without worksheets, flashcards, or elaborate activities that require prep and set up. Fortunately, there are lots of ways we can help our children get ready to read, and most of them don’t require a whole lot more than what you are probably already doing with your child!

CHILDREN BOOKS

1) Read together: This probably seems obvious, but so much of older children’s reading vocabulary was developed in the laps of their parents. The more books you can read to your child, the better! In the preschool years, children are learning that books contain stories and that words have meaning. Don’t worry if they want to read the same books over and over again. This is actually really good for them. Reading short, predictable books is also very beneficial. You can push them a little by going silent during the story to see if they can fill in where you left off. This is a great way to build their reading confidence!

2) When you read together, talk about the story. Ask critical thinking questions like “How do you think so and so feels right now?” or “What do you think is going to happen next?” These kind of questions help model to children how to think more deeply about what they are reading, a skill that will be VERY important as they develop into independent readers.

ADVERTISEMENT
3) When your child seems engrossed in studying a picture in a storybook, don’t rush them along. Picture books tell a lot of the story through the illustrations. When your child studies the picture, they are learning to “read closely,” which essentially means they are taking their time and making sense of what they read. Books without words are also really great for this. I especially love the wordless book Good Night Gorilla. Little Lion can “read” this entire story on his own, telling me about what is happening on each page. Conversely, if your child always rushes through stories, encourage them to slow down, and point out things that you notice in the pictures. This modeling will help them start to internalize that more analytical approach to reading.

4) Talk, talk, talk, talk: Another obvious one, especially if your preschooler is as chatty and inquisitive as mine, but as I wrote about here, the amount of language your child hears in their early years is a huge predictor of success later on. The more words they hear the better! Increasing vocabulary plays a really big role in later reading comprehension.

5) Hunt for words: This is a super easy game that requires absolutely nothing of you (my favorite kind!). You can play anywhere, and it is a great waiting game that keeps antsy children occupied. Bonus, it helps children connect words with meaning in a context that isn’t overwhelming. When you are out and about, keep an eye out for words. The sign that says Restroom? It starts with an R. Practice the beginning sound of the word with them. Rrrr….estroom. Over time they will begin to recognize words that are familiar because they’ve seen them in the context of their meaning. You can kick this one up a notch by labeling the things in your home, just like a preschool would. Preschool teachers call this creating a “print rich environment” and it has a ton of benefits. It helps children begin to recognize letters and common words, and children develop confidence as they begin to “read” words around the room with the object providing context. You can read more about this strategy here if you are interested!

.  .  .  .  .

What about you? Do you have any tips for incorporating literacy into everyday activities? I am always looking for more strategies!