Early literacy is everything children know about reading and writing before they can actually read and write. This starts long before they enter school – whether it's a toddler who wants his favorite book read over and over, or a preschooler who "reads" the story to you from memory.
Early literacy skills begin to develop in the first five years of life. Your child's early experiences with books and language lay the foundation for success in learning to read. Don't worry about teaching your young child to read-- that can wait for school. The most important thing you can do to get your child ready to read is to have fun with words and reading.
The library has lots of resources to help you. Reading and talking with your child helps your child become a better reader later. Children who play with words and language are better prepared to learn to read. Make sure your child sees you reading, too!
What has your child learned today? You can help your child succeed: Read together. Talk together. PLAY!
Six Skills That Help Your Child Get Ready To Read
Love Books! Print motivation: interest in and enjoyment of books.
Tip: Even if your baby does not yet understand the words, keep reading! She learns language when you read to her.
New Words! Vocabulary: knowing the names of things.
Tip: Read together as much as you can. Children who are read to at least three times a week do better in later development than those who are read to less often.
See Letters! Letter knowledge: learning that letters look different, and have different names and sounds.
Tip: Make letters out of play dough- or the cookies you bake! Children love to play with the letters in their names.
Use Books! Print awareness: noticing print, and learning how to follow the words on a page- from left to right, and from top to bottom.
Tip: Think of ways to add print to your children's play. If they build a fort, make a sign that says "Enter".
Make Sounds! Phonological awareness: being able to hear and play with the smaller sounds in words.
Tip: Clap the words of songs when you sing. This helps children hear the different parts of the words.
Tell A Story! Narrative skills: being able to describe things and tell stories.
Tip: Read favorite books over and over. Repetition helps your child recognize the sequence of a story: beginning, middle, and end.
Resources for Parents
Learn more about Early Literacy when you download A Parent's Guide to Literacy:
- from the Public Library Association and Association for Library Service to Children.
Learn more about choosing books for babies and toddlers at Zero to Three!
Fingerplays
Fingerplays, such as "Eensy Weensy Spider," use hand movements with rhymes. This involves children more directly; fingerplays and songs can be used to:
- improve a child's motor skills and coordination
- help children to observe and follow along
- teach concepts (body parts, counting, up/down)
- make sounds (phonological awareness)
- have fun!
Rhymes and songs are important. Babies enjoy rhythm. When they were in the womb, they felt the rhythm of the heart. Rhythm also helps children hear the individual sounds of the words.
Musical rhyme: Pop Goes the Weasel Keep time with rhythm sticks (help baby hold them), or even by clapping. All around the cobbler's bench, The monkey chased the weasel. The monkey laughed to see such fun- POP! goes the weasel. (Tap or clap loudly on POP!) Soon baby will learn to anticipate the louder POP!
Finger/ Hand rhyme: Choo Choo Train Choo choo train, choo train (creep fingers up baby's arm) Going up the track. Toot, toot, toot, toot! Now it's coming back. (creep fingers back down baby's arm) Repeat for other arm. Be dramatic with the word "Toot" and baby will soon be trying to make that sound.
Body Parts rhyme: Cheek Chin (Touch each part as it is mentioned, lift baby on UP! ) Cheek chin, cheek chin, cheek chin NOSE! Cheek chin, cheek chin, cheek chin TOES! Cheek chin, cheek chin, UP (child's name) goes!
Tickle rhyme: Slowly, Slowly
Slowly, slowly, very slowly (walk hand very slowly up baby's tummy) Creeps the garden snail. Slowly, slowly, very slowly Up the garden rail. Quickly, quickly, very quickly (tickle baby's tummy) Runs the little mouse. Quickly, quickly, very quickly All around the house.
Bounce / Lift rhyme: To Market, To Market (Bounce baby gently on knees. You can bounce your baby in many ways—sitting on your lap, with his tummy on your knees, laying on his back on your knees, sitting on your lap and rocking side to side... On last line of each verse, lift baby up.) To market, to market, to buy a fat pig, Home again, home again, jiggety jig. To market, to market, to buy a fat hog, Home again, home again, jiggety jog.
Toe / Foot rhyme: Eeny, Meeny, Miney, Mo Eeny, Meeny, Miney, Mo (wiggle one toe at a time. Start w/ little toe) Catch a piggy by his toe (wiggle big toe) If he hollers, let him go! (let go) Eeny, Meeny, Miney, Mo (wiggle your way back to little toe.)
Tickle / Touch rhyme: Eye Winker, Tom Tinker Eye Winker Touch one eyelid gently. Tom TInker. Gently touch other eyelid. Nose Dropper Touch nose. Mouth Eater Touch mouth. Chin Chopper Touch chin Gully Gully Gully Gully Gully! Tickle chin or tummy
Bounce / Lift rhyme: Trot, Trot to Boston Bounce baby on your knees. On last line, open your legs and let baby fall in. Trot, trot to Boston; Trot, trot to Lynn, Watch out baby, Or you'll fall in!
Finger / Hand rhyme: These Are Baby’s Fingers These are baby’s fingers Touch fingers These are baby’s toes Touch toes This is baby’s tummy button Point to belly button Round and round it goes. Make circles on tummy around belly button
Song / Lullaby: Hush, Little Baby (traditional) Hush, little baby, don't say a word, Mama's gonna buy you a mockin'bird. If that mockin'bird don't sing, Mama's gonna buy you a diamond ring If that diamond ring turns brass, Mama's gonna buy you a lookin' glass. If that lookin' glass gets broke, Mama's gonna buy you a billy goat. If that billy goat don't pull, Mama's gonna buy you a cart and bull. If that cart and bull turn over, Mama's gonna buy you a dog named Rover If that dog named Rover won't bark, Mama's gonna buy you a horse and cart. If that horse and cart fall down, You'll still be the sweetest little baby in town
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Love Books! Print motivation: interest in and enjoyment of books. 
