The things I want to know are in books. My best friend is the man who’ll get me a book I haven’t read. - Abraham Lincoln It’s presidents day weekend! That means you have an extra day to read with your child!

Everyone wants their preschooler to reach his/her full potential. Early literacy that leads to reading is one of the most important ways you can help your child achieve now and in the future. You can help reinforce the learning fun your child experiences at Halsey Schools at home with these seven easy reading tips.

1. Cuddle up and read with your child every day.  Children learn to read by being read to.
2. Point word by word as you read to help your child learn that the words you are saying are being read off the page in left to right order.
3. Let your child pick the stories and read his/her favorite one over and over and over and over and over and over again. Children love the repetition. 
4. Read many stories with rhyming words and lines that repeat. Encourage your child to ‘read’ aloud together. As children memorize what is being read they start to understand the connection to what is printed.
5. Stop to discuss and explain new words and ideas.
6. Ask questions about the story and pictures. “How do you think Mark felt when he’s friends said that?” “Would you like to go somewhere like that?” “What would you do?”
7. Read from a variety of children’s books, including fairy tales, song books, poems, and information books.

Reading well is at the heart of all learning. Children who can’t read well, can’t learn. Through reading aloud, providing print materials, and promoting positive attitudes about reading and writing, you can have a powerful impact on children’s literacy and learning.

Early literacy in preschool will help your child achieve the rest of his life. So cuddle up with your child today and read a book together. And remember parents are always invited to stop in at Halsey Schools any time and read to the class. We all love it!