This year, more than ever there has been a heavy focus on children learning to read at 3 and 4 years old. Many parents ask what they can do. The first thing I always tell parents is – read to your children! By reading to your child, first and foremost, you are instilling a love and interest of books and reading. You are also helping develop concepts of print and language and listening skills (comprehension). Further, this closeness and shared experience further instills a bond between the reader and the child.
While a child may not be interested in working on sight words or in a workbook, it’s unlikely that they put off reading with a loved one. This fortifies an intrinsic interest in the process of reading, which is the foundation for success in the short and long term.
For those looking for ways to encourage reading readiness and emergent reading skills with their children, this is a great outline of some skills that can all be accomplished by reading to your child. And, these skills must come before children can sound out words!