10 Tips for Parents of Young Children (ages 0-4)

1. Read aloud to your child every day

• Read to babies even before they can talk
• Let your child see and touch the book
• Play with voices and the sounds of words

2. Create a print rich home environment

• Have a wide variety of books available to children
• Encourage children to look at books on their own
• Set aside a family reading area and a family reading time

3. Model reading and writing

• Make use of the family reading area on your own
• Let children see you reading for work or to learn something
• Let children see you reading for pleasure

4. Use grocery shopping to encourage reading

• Have children help you search for specific brands
• Use the aisle markers with your child to find items
• Match coupons to products

5. Cook with your child to develop literacy

• Show your child how to read a recipe
• Read the labels on ingredients together
• Make a family cookbook of favorite recipes

6. Explore books together

• As you read, point out important features about the book
• Ask your child questions
• Point out new vocabulary

7. Tell stories together

• Talk together about your family history
• Look at old vacation photos and discuss your memories of the trip
• Tape your storytelling

8. Sing and rhyme with your child

• Choose songs with rhymes and word play
• Play rhyming games with your child - what other words sound like monkey?
• Challenge your child to sing or say rhymes as fast as he can and dont forget to laugh if the results come out silly

9. Write with your child

• Provide lots of writing materials, chalk, markers, crayons, and pencils
• Encourage your child to draw and write on her own
• Encourage your child to write thank you notes to grandparents, make to-do lists and the like

10. Visit the library often

• Make weekly trips
• Encourage your child to get her own library card.
• Take advantage of library programs such as read alouds and family book clubs

Article from:  http://www.rif.org/parents/tips/tip.mspx?View=65