Introduction
- Literacy activities can be quick, everyday opportunities for your child to develop a strong foundation for many aspects of life, including performance in schools, socialization with peers, problem-solving, decision-making, etc.
Literacy activities for babies, toddlers, and preschoolers:
- Talking and singing activities - helps your child develop listening and speaking skills
- Use rhyme whenever you can.
- Repeat sounds your child makes and ask them to repeat the ones you make
- Try to engage your child in conversation whenever possible.
- Reading and book-based activities - develops your child’s vocabulary, ability to listen and understand, and ability to connect sounds and words
- Interact with the book. Encourage your child to turn the pages and talk about what they see, ask questions about the text, etc.
- Connect the book to real life.
- Drawing and literacy activities - develops your child’s fine motor skills and helps them understand that writing and pictures have meanings
- Encourage your child to scribble and draw.
- Help your child practice writing letters.
- Incorporate other mediums, such as playdough, blocks, magnetic letters, etc.
- Help your child practice cutting and drawing.
- Ask your child to explain their drawings.
Literacy activities for school-age children:
- Talking activities:
- Play word games that encourage your child to learn sounds, such as “I Spy” with sounds.
- Ask your child about rhymes and sound/sound combinations.
- Talk about the past and the future.
- Give your child simple instructions to follow, and have them repeat them back to you.
- Reading and book-based activities:
- Read and talk about stories.
- Take turns reading.
- Ask your child to make a storybook.
- Involve reading everywhere you go. Ask your child to read billboards, street signs, etc.
- Drawing and writing literacy activities:
- Scramble letters and have your child determine which ones are real words.
- Have your child play with alphabet letter magnets.
- Have your child write shopping lists and restaurant menus.
