Parents

These resources can be used to engage parents and help them support their child's literacy.

Check out these tips:
 * Looking for Ways to Get Your Child to Read? **

20 Ways to Encourage Reading Some kids need encouragement to read. Maybe they think reading is boring or they don’t see the point in learning to read. Here are some ways you can show how important reading is and how fun it can be!

1. Tell or show your child when you are reading. Read aloud things like menus, ingredients, recipes, news, or labels so kids can see and hear you reading.

2. Point out words and print that you see everyday to your children. Show them that words are found all around us.

3. Play word or letter finding games during activities you do every day. For example, while making dinner, ask a child to find the letter P on the pasta box.

4. Have things to read available in your home. This could be books, magazines, or newspapers.

5. Read to your child as much as you can! It’s ok if you don’t always read word for word. Telling a story using the pictures is good too.

6. Ask your child questions as you read together. Ask them about the characters in the story and what is going on. Ask them to tell you what they think about what is happening in the book. Talk about the book as you read it.

7. Ask your kids to tell you about the books they are reading at school. Ask every few days so they remember to tell you the new parts they read about.

8. Find books with lots of pictures for young children to read. There are usually small book sections in grocery stores and pharmacies like Walgreens.

9. Tell stories to your children. A story can be about anything as long as it has a beginning, middle, and end!

10. Look around for things your children might like to read about. Use what they are interested in as a place to start.

11. Encourage older children to read to their younger brothers and sisters. It is good for everyone!

12. Get a free library card and take your kids to the library regularly.

13. Have your child read to you. Talk about what he or she read together.

14. Give books as presents.

15. Pick a spot in your home where you child can keep his or her books.

16. Encourage children to make their own books and read them to you (even if they are just pretend books).

17. Read funny or silly books like joke books or children’s poetry with your kids. Show them that reading can be fun!

18. Show your child how to use a bookmark and tell them that they don’t always have to finish a book in one sitting. If they don’t like a book, tell them it is ok to put it down and try another.

19. Use what your child is interested in to find lots of different kinds of books. For example if they love dinosaurs, find fact books and story books about dinosaurs.

20. Encourage your kids to read at home. Give them some quiet time and space to read. Ask them to tell you about what they read when they finish reading.

//**A Printable of Ways to Encourage Reading is available here:**//

// **Reading Rockets Tips for Parents of Kindergarteners** // Use these tips to reinforce early literacy skills and help your child get ready to read.

Speaking, Vocabulary, and Reading are all connected. Good speaking skills help develop good vocabulary skills which make learning to read and comprehend easier.
 * //Tips on Reading and Talking with Young Children (Birth - 5)//**