Is your child ready to read? Children who can identify letters or combinations of letters have taken the first step toward learning to read, which may happen as young as three. Although your child’s preschool or kindergarten teacher will be getting them ready to read in the classroom, there’s plenty you can do at home to encourage your little learner to start reading.
Read on to explore our tips for early reading and our favorite literacy activities for preschoolers.
The Importance of Early Reading
One of the simplest ways to set your child up for better long-term learning outcomes is by reading to them. Children exposed to books from an early age have a deeper base of knowledge, which helps them grasp what they are learning in school. Believe it or not, your child’s path to reading starts during infancy.
Babies as young as nine months can benefit from having their parents read to them. As your child learns to speak, they’re developing the language skills that help them better understand the written word. Reading together also creates closer bonds between parents and children, and research shows this connection makes children more receptive to learning.
Reading to your baby has immense benefits, language development in particular. According to experts, the simple act of reading helps young children build language pathways and meet cognitive development milestones on time. By the time your child is three, they should be able to:
- Retell familiar stories
- Identify the letters in their name
- Sing the alphabet song
- Understand the difference between text and pictures
You know your child best, but as a rule, they’re ready to start reading once they’ve reached these milestones.
Early Reading Building Blocks
As your little learner starts reading, watch for these key skills they should develop.
- Vocabulary: Preschool-aged children develop quickly, and their rapidly growing vocabulary is one of the many ways you’ll see this. Your child should start being able to tell the difference between the words used for listening, speaking, reading, and writing.
- Narrative skills: Does your child like to tell you about what happened during their playdate at the park or on a family trip? Being able to tell simple stories in the correct sequence is a key developmental milestone for preschool-aged children. Displaying narrative skills is a good sign they have the comprehension needed to start reading.
- Letter recognition and awareness: Around the age of four, your child should start being able to tell the difference between letters and squiggles on a page. Encourage this recognition by showing them the uppercase and lowercase forms of letters so they understand these can be written differently.
- Phonological awareness: A large part of preschool reading is phonics, or the sounds letters and letter combinations make. When preschoolers understand how letters are linked to sounds and how sounds make words, they’ll have the ability to make sense of text.
The Best Literacy Activities for Preschoolers
1. Letter Art
There are all kinds of fun ways to familiarize your child with letters. Create letters out of things you find on a nature walk, draw them in sand on the beach, build them out of playdough, or even finger paint them.
2. Take Turns Talking
Active listening helps children develop the vocabulary and comprehension skills they need to start reading. Using a stuffed toy or ball, build a conversation where whoever has the toy is talking and whoever isn’t is listening. Encourage your preschooler’s natural creativity by turning the conversation into a story – whoever is holding the toy gets to come up with what happens next!
3. Reading Labels
Words are all around! Teach your child that reading is more than just books – it’s a part of life. Point out the words and letters that you encounter day-to-day, like clothing labels, street signs, or the packaging on their favorite snack.
4. Draw the Story
Connecting words to the pictures your child sees in books also helps them develop comprehension skills. Ask your child to tell you a simple story about a fun day, like a playdate with friends or a trip to the zoo. Write down your child’s story, then read it back to them and have them illustrate the story they told you.
5. Make Reading Fun
It may seem simple, but the best way to help your child learn to read is by reading together. The best way to make them a reader for life is to make it engaging! Give each character a different voice, encourage your child to make sound effects that go along with the story, or designate a special spot that’s just for reading together.
Lightbridge Academy’s Early Reading Program
Lightbridge Academy keeps reading at the heart of our curriculum. Not only do we prioritize literacy activities for preschoolers and learners of all ages, our Seedlings® Early Childhood Education Curriculum is full of opportunities for preschoolers to read and write. We’ve even filled our classrooms with labeled items and signs that build your child’s vocabulary. With creative journaling and stories, your child will acquire a love of literature.
By developing strong reading skills early, we help your child build a strong foundation for academic success. And it shows in the numbers – over the last year, 95% of the children enrolled in our pre-K programs tested proficient in kindergarten readiness skills. Lightbridge Academy is a nurturing environment where your little one will develop a passion for learning that will help them thrive for decades to come.
At Lightbridge Academy, we’re proud to be your partners in early reading success. Schedule a tour to see for yourself!
