Use different voices for characters and animals, make your own sound effects, and make exaggerated expressions when you’re reading a story together. [1] X Trustworthy Source Reading Rockets Online resource supported by PBS providing research-based strategies for assisting children to become confident readers Go to source End the day by reading together. After bath time and getting PJs on, make it a habit let your child pick out a few books and snuggle on the couch together while you read. You can go back to favorites again and again and rotate in new stories. Let your child make up their own stories to go along with pictures in a book they like. It doesn’t matter if it’s the real story, just let them be creative and use their imagination. [2] X Trustworthy Source Reading Rockets Online resource supported by PBS providing research-based strategies for assisting children to become confident readers Go to source
Purchase children’s books and magazines and arrange them on a shelf or in bins. If you are on a budget, use your public library or scour second-hand sales and thrift stores for inexpensive books. Baby shower gifts, swaps, and hand-me-downs from friends whose kids have grown out of books are also great. [3] X Research source Provide writing tools like pencils, markers, crayons, and different types of paper for your child to experiment with. [4] X Research source
Purchase sets of foam and magnetic letters, letter cards, and letter blocks and have them easily accessible for your child to touch, move around, sort, and arrange. [5] X Research source Make letters yourself out of popsicle sticks, sandpaper, Styrofoam, or other craft supplies if you’re on a budget.
Toss two or three foam letters at a time into the tub with your child at bath time. While your child plays in the bath, call out each letter by name. For example, for the letter B say: “The B is tickling your toes. Oh, the B is swimming around you. Give Mommy the B. " Do this activity, using different letters each time, until your child has learned all of the letters of the alphabet and can call them by name. Make towers, houses, and other structures with alphabet blocks, pointing out the letters on the blocks and calling them by name. [7] X Research source Arrange magnetic letters on the refrigerator or white board. Allow your child to experiment with them, putting them in alphabetical order, or sing the alphabet song together and point to each letter as you say its name. [8] X Research source
Make letters out of clay, fabric, pipe cleaners, or yarn. [9] X Research source Use shaving cream, salt, sugar, or finger paint to draw letters. [10] X Research source
Draw parts of a letter one by one and let your child try to guess what letter you are making. [11] X Research source Call out letter names and have your child try to make the shape with their body. [12] X Research source Sing the traditional alphabet song together or look up alternate songs online.
Use letter cards for games like matching and memory. [14] X Research source
Play a game of “I Spy” and find letters and objects that begin with letter sounds your child knows. [15] X Research source Point out stop signs, exit signs, golden arches, and other familiar signs and talk about what they mean. Kids can learn to “read” the meanings of these objects before they can actually read the words.
