Quick Early Literacy Tips for Parents & Caregivers

Early Literacy Tips for Parents & Caregivers

Getting stuck giving Early Literacy Tips to Parents and Caregivers during storytime?

You feel like you don't know what to say or feel like your tips are too wordy?

Give these quick tips a try!

For Babies (0 - 2 years of age):

Print Motivation (Love Books): The interest in and enjoyment of books and reading

• "Babies have short attention spans. Unless your baby really wants to, you don't have to read for more than 2 - 3 minutes at a time."

• "Keep the reading sessions short and fun! When they lose interest, go on to another activity and read more later."

• "Babies and toddlers who grow up with books around them become more motivated to learn to read."

• "Keep books everywhere -- in the diaper bag, in the car, in their bedrooms, all over the house."

Phonological Awareness (Play with Sounds): Being able to hear and play with the smaller sounds in words

• "Hearing and making animal sounds helps your child hear different kinds of sounds in language."

• "Babies can start to tell the difference between sounds, which helps them hear the smaller sounds in words."

• "Songs have a note for every syllable, so when you sing songs to your baby, you're helping them hear that words can 'come apart' into syllables."

• "Understanding 'parts of words' will help them sound out words they are ready to learn to read."

Vocabulary (Learn New Words): Knowing the names of things

• "Sing song like 'Head, Shoulders, Knees, and Toes' and point to the body parts as you sing them."

• "Active songs like 'Head, Shoulders, Knees, and Toes' are a great way to increase vocabulary!"

• "Talk to your baby and toddler all the time -- even before they can answer you!"

• "The more words a child hears, the bigger their vocabulary will be. The more words they know, the easier it is to recognize words when they start to read."

Narrative Skills (Tell Stories): Being able to describe things and events, and tell stories

• "Talk about what you're doing, out loud, while you're doing it."

• "Understanding how stories work helps with reading comprehension when they start to read. Tell stories often and your baby or toddler will soak up your words and start learning about how stories work!"

• "When your baby babbles at you, say something back! Then pause and wait for an answer."

• "Don't worry if your child can't say anything back, or that you're not understanding each other -- your baby is learning how conversations work."

Print Awareness (Use Books): Knowing how to handle books, noticing print all around us

• "Children love their own names!"

• "Write their name on the pictures they draw, then put your finger under the letters and say their name out loud. This will help them start to learn that print represents the words they hear."

• "In order to start learning how books work, babies need to be able to play with them."

• "Keep some board books in the toy box and let them use all their senses to explore them -- touching, seeing, and even tasting!"

Letter Knowledge (Know Letters): Knowing the names, sounds, and shapes of the letters

• "Let your child explore different shapes, different textures, different tastes. Talk to them about what is the same and different."

• "Practicing figuring out what is the same and what is different will help them later when they try to figure out all the letters of the alphabet."

• "Being able to tell letters apart is basically a shape recognition skill."

• "Talk about shapes with your baby! Tell them that their rattle is round or that their book is square. You are helping them get ready to learn their letters!"

For Toddlers (2 - 3 years of age):

Print Motivation (Love Books): The interest in and enjoyment of books and reading

• "We are important role models to our children. They want to do the things they see us doing!"

• "Let them see you reading -- tell them when you're reading recipes, or grocery lists, or magazines, or e-mails."

• "Spend time everyday reading and experiencing books with your child!"

• "Always keep it positive and fun. If your child gets restless, just put the book aside and come back to it later."

Phonological Awareness (Play with Sounds): Being able to hear and play with the smaller sounds in words

• "Play a rhyming game of 'I Spy' with your child -- 'I spy something that rhymes with sock'."

• "Playing games with rhymes helps children get ready to read."

• "We know that kids who know some nursery rhymes by heart have an easier time learning to read. This is because rhyming is one way kids learn to hear the smaller parts of words."

• "Check out a Mother Goose collection and read one or two rhymes every day!"

Vocabulary (Learn New Words): Knowing the names of things

• "As you're reading to your child talk about words that may be unfamiliar by giving a simple definition."

• "A big vocabulary is a big help when it comes time to learn to read!"

• "Ask your child lots of questions that don't have a 'yes' or 'no' answer. These are called 'open-ended' questions and they give toddlers a chance to use all the words they hear for themselves."

• "Ask your child to 'use their words' instead of just pointing to an object or picture."

Narrative Skills (Tell Stories): Being able to describe things and events, and tell stories

• "When your child tells you something, ask them lots of questions that don't have a 'yes' or 'no' answer. These are called 'open-ended' questions, and they give young children a chance to build their storytelling skills."

• "When you're playing with your child, describe their toys for them -- 'This ball is round, blue, and bouncy.' or 'This teddy bear is brown and soft'."

• "Being able to describe things helps build comprehension skills."

• "Encourage your child to tell their own stories!"

Print Awareness (Use Books): Knowing how to handle books, noticing print all around us

• "Be silly! Sometimes when you read with your child, hold the book upside down or backward and see if your child notices."

• "If your child does not know the proper way to hold a book and turn the pages -- talk about it."

• "Point out the words on a cereal box and signs on the street to your child, so they become aware that print is all around us!"

• "Write their name on the pictures they draw, then put your finger under the letters and say their name out loud. This will help them start to learn that print represents the words they hear."

Letter Knowledge (Know Letters): Knowing the names, sounds, and shapes of the letters

• "ABC books are a great way to share letters with your child."

• "Look for ABC books with big, clear letters, and simple pictures."

• "The most important letter to a child is the first letter of his or her name!"

• "Look for a child's first letter in their name and point it out anywhere you might find it -- in books, on signs, or on cookies!"

For Preschoolers (4 - 5 years of age):

Print Motivation (Love Books): The interest in and enjoyment of books and reading

• "To really help your preschooler get excited about books, bring home books about the things they love and are interested in."

• "Have your child say repeated phrases with you as you read -- like 'just right' in Goldilocks or 'chicka chicka boom boom'."

• "This helps get them involved in the story, which makes reading more fun and enjoyable for them."

Phonological Awareness (Play with Sounds): Being able to hear and play with the smaller sounds in words

• "Kids love their own names! Have your child help you think of other words that start with the same sound as the first letter in their name -- like for Megan; Milk, Moon or Mug."

• "When you hear your preschooler use a cool new word, clap it out with them -- clap once for every syllable."

• "Clapping out the syllables in words helps your child learn to hear them, which will help them sound out words when they're ready to read."

Vocabulary (Learn New Words): Knowing the names of things

• "Reading books together is a great way to expand your child's vocabulary, since children's picture books have more 'rare' words in them than regular conversation."

• "When you're talking with your preschooler, look for opportunities to use different words to help build their vocabulary."

• "To help build their vocabulary, instead of saying 'car', you might say 'SUV', 'convertible', 'pick up truck', 'station wagon', or 'limo'."

Narrative Skills (Tell Stories): Being able to describe things and events, and tell stories

• "Being able to tell stories is a skill that helps children understand what they're reading."

• "After you read a story together a few times, let your child 'read' it to you!"

• "When children understand how stories work, it helps their comprehension when they read."

• "Use things you have around the house as props while reading a story. Then let your child play with the props -- this helps your child remember the story and retell it by themselves!"

Print Awareness (Use Books): Knowing how to handle books, noticing print all around us

• "Learning to write and learning to read go hand in hand. Making little books with your preschooler is a powerful way to help them learn about print."

• "Have your child draw pictures, then write down the story they tell you, and read it back to them!"

• "Every now and then while you're reading a book to your child, run your finger under the words of the title or words that repeat. This helps your child learn you are reading the words on the page, and not the pictures."

Letter Knowledge (Know Letters): Knowing the names, sounds, and shapes of the letters

• "Children learn better when they are interested in something."

• "If your child loves princesses talk about the letter P. If you have Batman fans at home, draw the letter B for them on a piece of paper."

• "Kids learn best by playing, not by flashcards, workbooks, or quizzes."

• "Look for ways to play with letters -- keep foam letters in the bathtub and magnetic letters on the fridge. Draw letters with sidewalk chalk or make them out of play dough!"