Reading is so much more than the solitary act of picking up a book, sitting down, and reading the words. Everywhere you look, there are signs to read, objects to label and describe, stories to tell, and new tales to be created.
Infants “read” books right from their parents’ lap! Nonverbal responses, such as left-to-right eye movement, emotional reactions, body position, and excitement (increased heart rate) are observed in infants and toddlers. When a child points her finger and asks, “What’s that?” she is beginning to build vocabulary and learning to organize people, places, and things. This is what is sometimes referred to as emergent reading.
And that’s just the beginning. The joy of reading is fashioned by parents who talk, talk, talk; rhyme, rhyme, rhyme; sing, sing, sing; and create stories inviting a child to imagine and dream. Young children learn about concepts and how to use language through repetition.
When you take walks together, talk about what you see, make up songs, and write stories. Tour the libraries in your area and find out what programs they are hosting over the summer. Acting out familiar or traditional stories is another way your kids can enjoy learning about their world and interpreting it for themselves.
For your youngest children, physically playing with books is a creative way to introduce them to a love for reading. Another way to foster a love for books is to start with those that have pictures about things they already love, such as baseball, bugs, or baby animals. What is your child’s special interest? Don’t know? Ask, and then support their finding books about their passion.
Oh, and don’t forget to pick out books that you can read aloud to the kids. Reading aloud helps build comprehension. Use puppets or their favorite stuffed animals as characters in the story. This awakens the imagination and creates memories. Having grandparents or other family members record books on tape is another way to make reading fun.
Most importantly, fostering a love of reading at any age protects your child from too much time in front of the television or computer. Parents are a child’s first teacher, and building literacy is one way to add to your children’s store of knowledge and to have rich and rewarding experiences together.
Vicki Thrasher Cronin is the director of community and civic engagement at Ready 4 K. She has worked early childhood education for 30 years.
