Fairmount Library & Media Center
Daily reading fosters children's love of learning and establishes a strong foundation for early literacy development. Explore our collection of digital resources specifically designed to support our youngest readers.
Online Resources
Developing Intellectual Entrepreneurs with a Social Conscience
Five Ways to Boost Your Child's Literacy Skills at Home
- Read Together Daily: Make reading a cherished routine. Whether it's a bedtime story or a midday tale, spending just 10-15 minutes a day reading with your child can significantly enhance their love for books and their comprehension skills.
- Interactive Storytelling: Encourage your child to interact with the story as you're reading together. Ask questions about the plot, characters, and the illustrations. This not only improves comprehension but also sparks creativity and critical thinking.
- Incorporate Environmental Print: Use everyday items around the house to teach reading. Label objects (such as "door," "window," "fridge") with sticky notes, or point out words on cereal boxes, signs, or product labels. This introduces children to the concept of words as labels for things and actions.
- Play Phonics Games: Simple games such as 'I Spy' with phonetic sounds ("I spy something that starts with the 'b' sound") can be a fun and effective way to improve phonemic awareness.
- Rhyme Time Fun: Incorporate rhyming games and songs into your daily routine. Rhymes play a crucial role in phonological awareness, the ability to recognize and manipulate the spoken parts of sentences and words. You can play simple games where you say a word, and your child comes up with a word that rhymes with it, or vice versa. Sing nursery rhymes together, and occasionally leave out a rhyming word for your child to fill in. For added fun, you can even make up silly rhymes together, fostering both phonological skills and creativity.