Reading books with your child can be a lot of fun! Some children enjoy reading the same book over and over, while other children love books on specific themes like dinosaurs, trucks or puppies. Did you know that listening and looking at books together actually helps your child begin learning to read? Learning to read is a process that involves six early literacy skills: enjoying books, noticing print, knowing the names of many things, learning letters, telling stories and hearing the small sounds in words. You can easily incorporate these skills as you read with your child. To learn how to help your child based on their age,
click here.
To emphasize and promote the importance of reading to young children from birth through age 5, the State Library of Kansas sponsors an annual event known as
Kansas Reads to Preschoolers Week. Libraries throughout the state promote this fantastic event with activities around a featured book. This year’s featured book is “Ten Pigs: An Epic Bath Adventure” by Derek Anderson. It is a delightful story that promotes counting and rhyming with colorful pictures and a surprise ending. The majority of the events will be held the week of November 11-17, 2018, but libraries may have events throughout the month.
Contact your local library to learn if they will be celebrating this event and if they have copies of the featured book.
You are your child’s first and most important teacher. Research shows that reading only 15 minutes a day can make a difference. By spending 15 minutes reading each day with your child, you can help them develop a love of reading and prepare them to be successful in school. See the image below from Read Aloud 15 Minutes for more information and facts, or
click here to view it as a PDF.
