Pre-Reading Activities: Laying the Foundations for Literacy with Toddlers

Foster a Love of Reading
Show your toddler that you read. Your toddler mimics everything you do and that includes reading. Give books as gifts. Reward good behavior with trips to the book store and the library. Talk about books. Point out favorite authors and series.

Tell Stories
We know that talking to children is one of the best things you can do for their development.  Incorporate story telling into that talk. Some parents like to remember the day as a part of the night-time routine. Use details and rich language when you tell stories. This will help them when they begin to write.

Draw Pictures
Instead of drawing a “scene” (the house, the sun, the flowers), try drawing events. Draw the day at the park: the swings, the kids, the dog, the fall. Use details from real experiences… the clouds, the rain, the wet hair, the umbrella. Have your toddler “read” the drawing to you.

Phonics Fun
It is important that your toddler learn the names of letters, but try moving beyond that and working on the letter sounds. It’s difficult for little ears to hear all the different sounds in a word, so practice s-t-r-e-t-c-h-i-n-g words out.  “B-b-b-b-aaaaa-llllll. What other words start with the b-b-b-b sound? Right! b-b-b-b-bear.” “Mmmmmmm-aaaa-mmmmm-aaaa. Just like mmmmm-mouse.” Try to get in the habit of making the sound whenever you’re talking about a letter.

Make a Letter-Sounds Book
Fold a piece of construction paper over blank typing paper and staple the “spine”. Write each letter of the alphabet on its own page.  Get a pack of stickers and work on putting them on their sound page. “Here is a kite! Let’s find the k-k-k-k page. Here it is…. with k-k-kitchen.”

Also see the post about making books with toddlers.