Learning songs and rhymes and hearing many stories before entering kindergarten prepares your child for learning in the best way possible.

3. Teach your child how stories work by asking them what happened in the beginning, middle, or at the end of the story.
4. Once your child is very familiar with the story, have them “read” the book to you using the pictures.
5. Preschoolers love to make connections with books. Remind them of similarities between something in the book and their life.
6. Preschoolers really enjoy moving in response to what they hear.
7. In addition to books, preschoolers love when someone reads them age-appropriate magazines, cereal boxes, postcards, catalogs, and other non-books.
8. Tuck a book or two in your car or bag and read with your child whenever you have the time.
9. Preschoolers benefit from seeing their name in print. Write your child’s name on their artwork, with magnetic letters, on the bedroom door, etc.
10. Preschoolers love the poetry, rhythm, and rhyme in Mother Goose and other similar books intended for this age.

• Focus on fun—enjoy a story, cuddle, laugh, learn new ideas and words.
• Before reading the book, look at the cover together and talk about what the book might be about.
• Ask questions as you read. Why do you think that happened? What do you think will happen next? etc.
• What was their favorite part and why?
• Smoothly sweep your finger across the words as you read so your child can see how we read from left to right. If you are reading books in another language sweep your finger in the direction that you read.
• Notice words in your everyday life that start with the first letter of your child's name. “Look Sam, there is a stop sign. Stop starts with s (make the sound sssssss) just like Sam does!” Note: When you make the sound of letters, make only the sound without adding additional sounds. M says mmmm not ma, etc.
• Never withhold reading as a punishment.
• Reading with your toddler is really about enjoying books together. Make sure your questions and activities don’t overshadow the reading joy.

• they can learn things from books.
• pictures should be right side up.
• reading happens from left to right (in English).
• reading may sound different than speaking.
• words are made up of different sounds.
• stories are made up of words that are written down.
• words are made of letters.
• there is a space between each word.
• books have a beginning, middle, and end.

• • illustrations or photos on every page that match the words.
  • repetitive phrases your child can remember and repeat.
  • a rhyming pattern.
  • words and pictures that show children doing the things your child does (playing sports, painting, swimming, going shopping, etc.)
• Joke/riddle books
• Non-fiction that:
  • sparks interest.
  • is written with simpler language.
  • offers a limited number of facts on each page.
  • uses pictures to support the facts.
  • helps expand your child’s understanding.
  • develops vocabulary.
• Poetry and verse with rhythm and rhyme including:
  • nursery rhymes.
  • chants.
  • finger plays.
  • hand rhymes.
  • clapping games.
  • jump rope rhymes.
• Wordless books mostly have pictures with few or no words. They are a rich source for:
  • connecting with a story using your own thoughts/words.
  • telling what you see (developing language).
  • inviting your preschooler to help tell the story using the pictures (an important skill for beginning readers).
• Make your own books—your child will love to read homemade books about themselves.
• Check out Go Reader Go book reviews to find books that can help launch your preschooler’s lifelong love of reading.

• cereal boxes, toothpaste tubes, milk cartons, etc.
• instructions for activities and games.
• signs, billboards, posters, advertisements, etc.
• birthday cards, postcards, letters, catalogs etc.

• When it works for you both. This may or may not be at bedtime. Some preschoolers are too tired/wired before bed.

Reading together is a gift that paves the way for a lifetime of learning for your child. Read every day. Enjoy. Repeat.