Skills you'll help them develop along the way
Seeing Words
Being familiar with printed language helps children feel comfortable with books and reading:
- Print awareness includes noticing that print is all around and has meaning.
- Before learning how to read a book, a child must learn what a book is, how words work and how letters represents words.
- This section offers some ideas and activities to help your child become comfortable with printed language, books and reading.
Developmental Milestones
When books are available in the home, a child goes quickly from chewing a board book to enjoying both words and pictures.
Babies
- Look at books and point to pictures.
- Give books to adults to read to them.
Toddlers
- Scribble on paper with a purpose and tell you what they wrote or drew.
- Begin to pay attention to specific print such as the first letters of their names.
- Turn books right side up; can turn pages with your help.
Preschoolers
- Identify familiar signs and labels.
- Have an understanding of the function of print.
- Know that print has a message.