What is early literacy?
Early literacy is everything children know about reading and writing before they can actually read and write. Early literacy is a baby who chews on a book, a toddler who wants his favorite book read over and over, and a preschooler who "reads" the story to you from memory.
Five Early Literacy Practices
TALKING: Children learn language by listening to others talk. As children hear spoken language, they learn new words and what they mean, and they learn about the world around them.
SINGING: Singing slows down language so children can hear the different sounds that make up words.
READING: Reading together increases vocabulary and general knowledge. It helps children learn how print looks and how books work.
WRITING: Like reading, writing represents spoken language and communicates information. Children can learn pre-reading skills through drawing and writing, and through activities like playing with shapes.
PLAYING: Play helps children think symbolically, so they understand that spoken and written words can stand for real objects and experiences. Play also helps children express themselves and put thoughts into words.
Why is early literacy important?
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Children develop much of their capacity for learning in the first three years of life.
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Children with books in the home have a better chance for a good start in school.
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Children who enjoy being read to are more likely to want to learn to read themselves.
What can I do to prepare my child to read?
You are the key to your child's success. When you read, talk, sing, and play with your child, you're stimulating the growth of your child's brain and building the connections that will become the building blocks for reading and for life-long learning.
Attend storytime together
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View storytimes on our Events calendar
Read aloud to your child
Play games