Welcome to Ready for Reading
You are your child's first and best teacher
You play a key role in your child's early literacy and home is where your child begins to learn:
- Each child is unique and you know your child best. Make the most of playful learning opportunities in your everyday life.
- When you read, talk and play together, you help develop your child's knowledge about reading and writing before he can actually read and write. So, read together as often as possible to ensure your child's success in school and beyond.
- It's never too early to start. It's never too late to learn more. Your child will develop these skills no matter what language you speak at home.
Skills you'll help them develop along the way
When you practise the five activities with your child, you help them develop important pre-reading skills.
Learn more about building these skills below:
Learn more about the research behind Ready for Reading
Our program is built on the following set of principles:
- You know more about your child than anyone else.
- You are in the best position to help your child get ready for reading
- You can do activities for short bits of time throughout the day to offset their short attention spans.
- Parents are tremendous role models - if your children see that you think reading is important and enjoy it, they will follow your lead.
Toronto Public Library's Ready for Reading program is based on the American Library Association's Every Child Ready to Read, which is a research-based program, grounded in the latest advances in brain theory and early childhood development.
Ready for Reading is based on research in these areas:
- Literacy statistics
- School readiness studies
- Brain development in early childhood
- Literacy in early childhood
Let's Get Ready for Reading: A guide to help kids become readers
Our Let's Get Ready for Reading Guide is available for loan in TPL branches. This unique resource is based on the latest early literacy research, to help parents, caregivers, and children get started on their reading adventures together.