Get ready to read: preschoolers (4 to 6 years old)

Keep focus on having fun with words and stories. A healthy vocabulary will help your child understand what they are reading once they start sounding out letters.

• Offer choices

Take out a few books and says, “which one should we read first?” letting him/her be the “book boss” helps him/her feel like he/she has a say in the activity.

• Use bigger words

Research shows having a larger vocabulary in the first grade leads to greater reading achievement.

• Go to library

Teach your child how to find and check out books.

• Check out street signs

Spotting them helps your child see how vital reading is in daily life.

• Show words in action

The next time you go grocery shopping, point out words on your list (“milk”) and on the item when you find it.

• Make connections

When your preschooler is ready to learn alphabet, help him/her to link between letters and objects. You might pull out magnetic letters B, D and F, along with a stuffed bear, a duck, and a frog, and see if your child can figure out which magnet goes with each animal.

• Create your own books

Ask your child to tell you a story, then write down on several piece of paper. Staple them together along one edge, and have them to illustrate each page.