Tip 91 – Read with your child as often as you both want (preschool stage).

Social development and interest in books soar at this time. Perfect!

You child will gravitate to others, children and adults. Therefore, take advance of this social energy and read, read, read together. Read books about people having fun in all kinds of situations and also read basic ones that teach about colors, letters, numbers, and shapes in different creative ways.

While play is great fun, in addition your child really wants to know as much as possible about the real world. Changes in nature are especially exciting. Eric Carle knew that when he wrote his very popular book The Very Hungry Caterpillar.

Humor and word play are both favorites for preschoolers. Maurice Sendak captured these characteristics especially well in Chicken Soup with Rice.

Book characters are another love for young children. Meet these popular figures in many different books–Curious George by H.A. Rey, Lyle the Crocodile by Bernard Waber, and Clifford the Big Red Dog by Norman Bridwell. They are always having exciting adventures.

Parenting Insight…

Good or bad from your point of view, expect to be asked to read specific books over and over again. Take advantage of these opportunities to point out easy words. In this way you help you child make the connection between words he or she understands and their written representation. As you continue this process you lead your child gradually into reading.

January! The Month of the New Beginning

My Book of Favorite Words

Take a spiral-bound index card notebook and turn it into your child’s book of words. Create it one page at a time. Each day, or whenever you find it convenient, ask your child for a favorite word and then write it for him or her on an index card page. These might be easy words like Mommy, Daddy, Door, Duck or Spoon, or they could be harder ones like Computer, Doormat or Lizard. Whatever words your child chooses will work, and before long he or she will have a fun and extensive collection of words to really read.

School books may or may not be of interest, but personalized books with self-selected words are very well-liked!