5 Ways to Build Skills -- Every Day!

1. Read aloud with your child every day.

Start with 5 or 10 minutes, then build up to at least 30 minutes a day. Encourage your child to talk about the characters and events in the books you are reading. Choose books about subjects he's interested in and let him pick out stories. Reread favorites often. Be aware of your child's attention span and stop when he's getting tired.
2. Talk with your child.

Tell stories, sing songs, recite nursery rhymes, and discuss what's happening in your home and neighborhood. Encourage your child to talk to you -- whether she's relating daily events or feelings, or making up a story. Building a child's vocabulary plays a very important role in getting ready to read.
3. Take your child to new places.

Trips to new place or old favorites are opportunities to build new vocabulary. Consider trips to nature centers, parks, forests, or shops, such as hardware stores or food markets. Take a walk down main street of your town. Visit the post office, senior center, or historic buildings. Attend community concerts, sports events, and craft festivals. Building your child's knowledge of the world will help her understand ideas in books and print.
4. Have your child's hearing and eyesight tested every year.
5. Find fun ways to discover and read books.

Attend reading programs at the local library and bookstores. Get your child a library card. Ask the librarian for book recommendations. Look for book lists in parenting magazines and on websites, and borrow books from friends or family.

Get Ready to Read! Overview and Directions
Get Ready to Read! Skill-Building Activities