| It's never too soon to start your child on the path | | | | while traveling and running errands. |
| toreading. Simply talking to your infant and toddler | | | | - Creating a quiet, special place in your home for |
| helps herdevelop the vocabulary she will need as | | | | your child to read, write, and draw. |
| she enters schooland begins to read. As you point | | | | - Keeping books and other reading materials |
| to and name objects, shewill begin to understand | | | | where your child can easily reach them. Having |
| the meaning of words, and willeventually begin to | | | | her own bookshelf or small bookcase will not only |
| incorporate those words into hisvocabulary. | | | | make her feel special, but will also communicate |
| The U.S. Department of Education recommends | | | | to her that reading is special. |
| beginning toread to your baby when she is six | | | | - Reading books, newspapers and magazines |
| months old. According totheir 2003 report, | | | | yourself, so that your child can see that reading is |
| "Hearing words over and over helps herbecome | | | | important. |
| familiar with them. Reading to your baby is one | | | | - Limiting the amount and type of television you |
| ofthe best ways to help her learn." | | | | and your child watch. The best thing you do to |
| In that same report, the Department of Education | | | | ensure that your child will grow upreading well and |
| alsorecommends that parents reach out to | | | | loving to read is to read to her every day. |
| groups that can: | | | | The time you spend reading together will create a |
| - Help you find age-appropriate books to use at | | | | specialbond between the two of you, and will |
| home with your child; | | | | open the doors for adialogue that will continue |
| - Show you creative ways to use books with | | | | throughout the more trying yearsof adolescence. |
| your child and other tips to help her learn; and | | | | The Department of Education suggests that,when |
| - Provide year-round children's reading and | | | | you're reading, you discuss new words. As an |
| educational activities. A child's love for reading | | | | example,they suggest that you say, "This big |
| grows when the words on the pagecome to life | | | | house is called apalace. Who do you think lives in a |
| through experiences shared as a family. | | | | palace?" Likewise, theysuggest taking time to ask |
| Forexample, after reading Eric Carle's Ten Little | | | | about the pictures and what yourchild thinks is |
| Rubber Ducksto your toddler, you can learn all | | | | happening in the story. |
| about real ducks, makeocean snacks, or go on a | | | | The samereport suggests additional strategies for |
| family outing and feed the ducksat a nearby pond. | | | | early literacy: |
| In order to help your child getready to read, the | | | | - When reading a book with large print, point at |
| Department of Education also recommends: | | | | each word as you read it. Your child will |
| - Using sounds, songs, gestures, and words that | | | | understand that the word being spoken is the |
| rhyme to help your baby learn about language | | | | word she sees. |
| and its many uses. | | | | - Read a favorite book over and over again. |
| - Pointing out the printed words in your home and | | | | - Read stories with rhyming words and lines that |
| other places you take your child, such as the | | | | repeat, and have your child join in. |
| grocery store. | | | | - Read from a variety of children's books, including |
| - Spending as much time listening to your child as | | | | fairy tales, poems, and non-fiction. The more |
| you do talking to her./li> | | | | strategies you can incorporate into your |
| - Taking children's books and writing materials with | | | | child'sreading experience, the more likely you are |
| you whenever you leave home. This gives your | | | | to help yourchild develop into a strong reader. |
| child fun activities to entertain and occupy her | | | | |