Little Readers

Our Little Readers

Today we found these two “little friends” reading in our library center.  We LOVE to see children “read” independently!  Early Learning for Every Child Today suggests that an indicator for enjoying literacy is “choosing and spend[ing] time with books.”  When children are engaged in literacy activities they will often “discuss and make connections between books and stories…..request specific stories, poems, songs [and] show pleasure and enjoyment during activities with language, music, and print materials.”  When children are exposed to a variety of print materials children will be motivated to learn more about reading. 

While reading children also work on their letter recognition skills and learn about the conventions of print.  Children will often “pretend to write….hold books the right way, turn pages from the front to the back, [and] use left to right directionality”.  These are important skills to learn before children enter the kindergarten classroom. 

Children can practice and learn these skills at home too.  Providing children with books of their own, visiting the library, demonstrating how to read a menu at a restaurant are all good ways children can practice their literacy skills with parents.  They begin to learn that reading is an important skill they will use in everyday activities. 

Happy reading everyone! J