WHAT THE RESEARCH SAYS...Four factors are present in the home environment of nearly every early reader:1. The child is read to on a regular basis.2. A wide variety of printed materials - books, magazines,

newspapers, comics - are available in the home.3. Paper and pencil are readily available for the child.4. The people in the child’s home s�mulate the child’s interest

in reading and wri�ng by answering endless ques�ons, praising the child’s efforts at reading and wri�ng, taking the child to the library frequently, buying books, wri�ng stories that the child dictates, and displaying his paperwork in a prominent place in the home.

Trelease, Jim. (2005). The Read-Aloud Handbook (5th ed). pg. 31

SUGGESTED READING:(All titles can be found in the board book section)

Baseball Baby E F AdamThe Babies and Ki�es Book E F SchiLi�le Baby's Busy Day: A Finger Wiggle Book E F SymeBaby Signs: All Done! E F LockB Is for Baby E F A�nBaby Up, Baby Down: A First Book of Opposites E F BabyHey Baby! A Baby's Day in Doodles E F PippI Will Talk to You, Li�le One E F GranLibrary Babies E F PuckSleepy Farm E F WanTime to Go Home E F LvWho Is Making a Mess? E F DhaeBlack Cat, White Cat E F BoraFlamingo E F SireSee-Saw: First Book of Nursery Songs E F SeesPele: A Bilingual Picture Book Biography E F RodrAlien Baby! E F Bark Up Cat Down Cat E F LighBee Mine E F HegaBert & Ernie E F PosnThis Is Baby E F FallLeo Loves Daddy E F McquYou're My Li�le Baby: A Touch -and- Feel Book E F CarlA Kiss for You E F GeneGood Morning, Farm E F Bijs

BABY GAMECARDNewborn - 17 Months

June 1 - July 31

Name:

SUGGESTED PARENTING BOOKS:Raising Kids Who Read: What Parents and Teachers Can Do by Daniel T. Willinghain, 372.4 Will

How to Raise a Reader by Pamela Paul, 649.58 Paul

The Toddler Brain: Nurture the Skills Today That Will Shape Your Child’s Tomorrow by Laura A. Jana, 649.123 Jana

The Read-Aloud Handbook by Jim Trelease, 372.452 Trel

The Encyclopedia of Infant and Toddler Ac�vi�es for Children Birth to 3 Edited by Donna Wi�mer, PhD., 372.21 Ency

FOR MORE INFORMATIONTo learn more about what you can do to help prepare your child for learning how to read, visit our Research Guide for Parents & Caregivers at www.wclibrary.info/research/parents/.

Congratulations – you’re finished!

Come to the library to receive your free

book!

Share a board book with your baby. By around 10 months,

babies who are read to can turn the pages

of a book in the correct direction.

Allow your baby to pick up finger foods

and other small objects using thumb and

forefinger to practice precise hand movements.

Sing songs while you change a diaper or make dinner. Your

baby loves the sound of your voice, whether or not you can carry a

tune.

Talking throughout the day exposes your

child to a lot of language. Explain what you are doing

when cleaning, making dinner, etc.

Try using a scarf or washcloth to play peek-a-boo with

your baby and enjoy the giggles that

follow!

Cuddle your baby while reading. Pairing

reading with a comforting touch

teaches your baby to have a positive

association with books.

Your baby has small hand muscles, so it’s

easier to grasp chunky crayons. Those are best

for early scribbles.

Using your rhyme card, share two

rhymes with your child.

When your baby is babbling, respond as if they are having a

conversation with you. They are learning that conversations go two

ways.

Blow bubbles with your baby. Babies

follow the movement of the

bubbles, which helps with eye tracking.

Have a basket of books within your baby’s reach so

that they can explore books

often.

Have large paper and non-toxic chunky crayons readily

available for your child to scribble.

Using a bouncing rhyme from your rhyme card, bounce your child when singing so that

they can hear and feel the rhythm in music and in the words.

Play little games and build vocabulary. Ask your baby to point to body parts. Example -

“Where is your nose?”

Have your baby watch you and your other children play

games. In time, your child will want to imitate and play,

too.

Allow your baby to put books in

their mouth. This is how they

explore and learn about books.

Put shaving cream or edible finger paint in

a Ziploc bag to practice tracing

letters or scribbling. Let them feel as if they are “writing.”

Check out a music CD from the library

and dance or bounce your little

one to the rhythm of the song.

When reading books with familiar objects,

point at the picture and talk about an experience they have had with that object. This shows the child that the picture

represents real things.

Use jumbo knob puzzles or

shape-sorting games to help build shape

and color knowledge, along with finger

dexterity.

Read board books with simple pictures

and little text so that your child can

focus on a particular page.

Strengthen your baby’s hand and finger

muscles by having them hold a rattle, grab a sponge, and crumple a piece of

paper.

Using your rhyme card, do one rhyme with your child two times. Repetition is

comforting and helps babies retain what

they learn.

Have family pictures readily available.

Point to each person and say their name to build vocabulary

and connections with your baby.

Use scarves, shaky eggs, or

parachutes when singing or dancing to familiar songs.

TALKING PLAYINGSINGINGWRITINGREADING

Check out all of the early literacy skills you and your child have learned!

Feel free to modify these activities to fit your child’s abilities.

Mark o� the activities you complete with your child.

Congratulations – you’re finished!

Come to the library to receive your free

book!

STARTHERE!

ALMOSTTHERE!

KEEPGOING!

ALL DONE!

A LITTLEFARTHER!

WHAT THE RESEARCH SAYS...Four factors are present in the home environment of nearly every early reader:1. The child is read to on a regular basis.2. A wide variety of printed materials - books, magazines,

newspapers, comics - are available in the home.3. Paper and pencil are readily available for the child.4. The people in the child’s home s�mulate the child’s interest

in reading and wri�ng by answering endless ques�ons, praising the child’s efforts at reading and wri�ng, taking the child to the library frequently, buying books, wri�ng stories that the child dictates, and displaying his paperwork in a prominent place in the home.

Trelease, Jim. (2005). The Read-Aloud Handbook (5th ed). pg. 31

20 First Words in 20 Languages E F TwenMaking Tracks: Mountain E F HallBig Dog and Li�le Dog E F PilkConstruc�on Site E F LambCurls E F FormThe Cookie Book of Colors E F FoxIt's You I Like: A Mister Rogers Poetry Book E F RogeMail Duck: A Book of Shapes and Surprises E F SiroHow Do I Feel? A Li�le Guide to My Emo�ons E F HowMy Favorite Color E F BeckThe Princess Bride: A Coun�ng Story E F PrinA Very Hungry Wolf E F BaruWashy Wash! And Other Healthy Habits E F ReynYoga Bunny: Simple Poses for Li�le Ones E F HindBake a Rainbow Cake! E F KassWhat Am I? A Let's Learn Spanish Book E F De aSpace Adventure E F HayeCan You Guess? Food with the Very Hungry Caterpillar E F CarlABCs of Kindness E F BergWho Ate My Fruit? E F CaniWhen I Grow Up I Want to Drive… E F LloydThe Story of Pop E F StorBaby Shark! Based on the World’s Catchiest Song E F BabyDisney Block: Magical Moments for Fans of Every Age E F Disn

TODDLER GAMECARD18 - 36 MonthsJune 1 - July 31

Name:

SUGGESTED PARENTING BOOKS:Preschool Clues: Raising Smart, Inspired, and Engaged Kids in a Screen-Filled World by Angela C. Santomero, 155.422 Sant

Raising Kids Who Read: What Parents and Teachers Can Do by Daniel T. Willingham, 372.4 Will

How to Raise a Reader by Pamela Paul, 649.58 Paul

The Toddler Brain: Nurture the Skills Today That Will Shape Your Child’s Tomorrow by Laura A. Jana, 649.123 Jana

The Read-Aloud Handbook by Jim Trelease, 372.452 Trel

FOR MORE INFORMATIONTo learn more about what you can do to help prepare your child for learning how to read, visit our Research Guide for Parents & Caregivers at www.wclibrary.info/research/parents/.

SUGGESTED READING:(All titles can be found in the board book section)

Read print everywhere you go! Print on a

cereal box or a road sign can show your toddler that words

have meaning outside the context of books.

Draw pictures with your child. Scribbling

is an important precursor to writing.

Make up a tune to help your child

remember phone numbers, how to spell a long last name, or

other important facts.

Play with words and rhymes by playing “I Spy” as you wait at the doctor’s office or when driving. Start simple and then ask for rhyming words.

Use a large empty box as a playhouse to

act out a story or a play! This helps build

vocabulary and storytelling skills.

Explain unfamiliar words to your child to build their vocabulary. Picture books contain

around 27 rare or uncommon words per

1,000.

Use shaving cream or edible finger

paint for a child to trace and make letters. Focus on

letters in their name.

Singing songs with rhyming words, even silly nonsense words that rhyme, helps a

child hear the smaller parts or

sounds of a word.

When reading to your child, encourage them

to chime in with details about the story

so that reading becomes a

conversation.

Blowing bubbles is fun and helps a child with eye and hand coordination when they try to reach for

the bubbles.

When reading, occasionally point to the printed words on the page so that your

child begins to understand that

words have meaning.

Encourage your toddler to grasp

crayons and provide places for them to practice the grip

strength needed for learning to write.

Using your rhyme card, do one rhyme with your child two times. Repetition is

comforting and helps toddlers retain what

they learn.

Look at a nonfiction book. Talk about real

places and things with your child, like backyard bugs or an upcoming vacation.

Use a puppet or household items to act out a favorite story with your

toddler.

Encourage your child to turn the pages. This will demonstrate how

a book is held and that English is read from left to right.

Send a card to a friend or family

member by writing down what your child

would like to say.

Try clapping or wiggling to the beat of a favorite song. Song rhythms can

help your child learn that words are made

up of syllables.

When talking with your toddler, use the

correct names for things. For example, call a car without a

roof a “convertible.”

Read a story featuring a favorite animal and

then pretend to be that animal by

walking, talking and eating like that

animal.

Share your favorite book with your child and tell them what you like about it. Ask about their favorite books.

Make a shopping or chore list and have your child

help you add items and “decorate”

your list.

Use your rhyme card to share rhymes with your child. Research shows that knowing eight rhymes by the

age of four will help a child in school.

Chat with your child about the first letter in their first name.

Then try to find other things that

start with that letter.

Have a picnic or tea party with your child. Ask your child what

food to pack.

Congratulations – you’re finished!

Come to the library to receive your free

book!

TALKING PLAYINGSINGINGWRITINGREADING

Check out all of the early literacy skills you and your child have learned!

Feel free to modify these activities to fit your child’s abilities.

Mark o� the activities you complete with your child.

Congratulations – you’re finished!

Come to the library to receive your free

book!

STARTHERE!

ALMOSTTHERE!

KEEPGOING!

ALL DONE!

A LITTLEFARTHER!