Get READY to Read

15 Easy Ways to Encourage Literacy
By Cynthia A. Frosch, PhD

1. Cut giant alphabet letters out of poster board – the neon colors work especially well. Hide them around the house (or around your yard) and go on a letter search. The letters will fold or stack flat for storage. You can even have them laminated.

2. Make an alphabet train using bins or bags labeled with each letter of the alphabet. Have your child put the letters in order and then find something that starts with each letter to put in the box. If you don’t have a particular object, draw or print out a picture. I found that small storage boxes and plastic mixing bowls work well.

3. Go on a zoo-phabet. List all the letters on a piece of paper and write down every animal you see that starts with that letter (or includes it for the tricky ones like X!). Visit the zoo’s website or talk with a zookeeper to get some ideas ahead of time and map out your plan.

4. Use clear or colored storage bins (we buy shoe and boot boxes by the case at The Container Store) to store your child’s toys and activities. One for crayons, one for cars, one for lacing beads, etc. Take a picture of the contents and use masking tape and a Sharpie to label the bin. These stack neatly, allow you to easily rotate toys and activities, and help your child learn the words for favorite things.

5. Get sentence strips from a teacher supply store (or visit one on-line) and write the name of a common household object on each strip (e.g., sofa, table, chair, door). Stick the strips to the object and allow your child to discover what the words mean.

6. Make or purchase a child-friendly calendar and hang it at a level your child can see. My favorite has little slats to insert numbers and includes the calendar and separate days of the week display. Help your child select the correct day to display and talk about the date. The 1st of every month is a big day around our house because my son helps me change the calendar. Finding the numbers and words for the months and seasons is his job.

7. Choose a letter of the week and select an outing or activity each day that corresponds to the letter. (e.g., “L”–visit the library, drink lemonade, do leaf printing, build with Legos, read a story about a lion, etc.)

8. Eat your way through the alphabet. Lois Ehlert has a wonderful book called Eating the Alphabet. Read the book with your child and make a list of each letter on the refrigerator. As you explore new foods, add them to the list. Uglifruit is one to try for U; Quinoa for Q.

9. Use cookie cutters to cut out fruits, Jell-O, pancakes, potatoes, or bread in the shape of letters. Spell out your child’s name or favorite things. IANs makes alphabet shaped fries that come in plain and vegetable varieties. You can easily make your own by slicing potatoes and cutting out letters with cutters. Cut out trains, bears, toys, and other objects and spell out the object underneath.

10. Bathtub letters are cheap and easy to use in a variety of ways. Not only do they stick to the sides of the tub, but they can be used for tracing and painting.

11. Spell out your child’s name at eye level on his or her bedroom door. Art supply stores like Michael’s and Hobby Lobby have a variety of wooden and foam letters or you can make your own.

12. Alphabet sponges can be purchased toy or craft stores or you can cut your own out of flat dish sponges using small craft scissors. They are fun in the sink and are great for art projects.

13. Make lists with your child. Let your child see you making “To Do” lists or shopping lists for the grocery store, complete with numbers and items (for example: 1. bananas 2. rice 3. pretzels). Have you child help you search through the pantry or refrigerator to find what items are needed and then write them on lined paper. This can be a great weekly ritual. Extend the learning to the grocery store where you talk about each item as you add it to your cart or bag.

14. Read with your child every day– a daily ritual of reading provides your child with a learning-rich and love-filled opportunity to explore the world.

15. Visit the public library – for free! Libraries often have wonderful storytimes to get kids into books. Many also have low tables where kids can read and work on literacy-related activities.