Growing a reader from the very beginning

Every year, classrooms across the nation host reading events for elementary school children. But early literacy starts way before a child reaches a classroom.

It begins before babies can talk and continues as they become toddlers and preschoolers. In fact, studies have linked the number of words children know at ages 3 and 4 to their reading comprehension levels in 3rd and 4th grade.

Reading daily with children starting at birth helps them learn new words. When babies hear words and language, their brains develop important connections needed to learn how to read. Sharing books with your baby is an important way to bring them new and unusual words, and it’s also a great opportunity to build a strong and healthy relationship between parent and child, which is what your baby needs most.

More great resources to help you grow a love of reading in your young child can be found through Read On Arizona, a First Things First partner working across Arizona to support early literacy for kids from birth to 8 years old.

Smart Talk encourages parents to have quality back-and-forth conversations with their baby during everyday moments, such as mealtime, baths and diaper changes. Though babies can’t talk, they can still communicate through eye contact, facial expressions, smiles and crying.

What are your tips for encouraging early literacy? Share your ideas and strategies with our community on Arizona PBS KIDS on Facebook.

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About First Things First

 

 

First Things First is Arizona’s early childhood agency, committed to the healthy development and learning of young children from birth to age 5. Learn more about early childhood programs at FirstThingsFirst.org.