Early literacy development is a critical journey that spans from the moment your child speaks their first words to the day they read their first book. That鈥檚 because oral language serves as a foundation for literacy skills they鈥檒l learn later in life.
And since language development is a two-way street, kids will learn how to both speak and listen as they absorb language from the world around them. As they learn to read, these skills will help them master new tasks such as reading aloud, comprehending what they鈥檝e read, and decoding unfamiliar words.
You can support your child鈥檚 literacy journey by creating a language-rich environment at home. This includes effective strategies such as reading to your child, singing, and consistently engaging in meaningful conversations with them to boost their oral language skills.
Fostering language development in early childhood
Language and literacy development consist of a series of steps, one building upon the other as your child grows. For instance, a toddler might learn how to say the word apple to request their favorite snack. They can also use this word knowledge to identify pictures of an apple and say the word aloud. Later, they鈥檒l build on this skill as they begin to develop , which will help them recognize the word apple.
This progression is especially important throughout early childhood as young children begin to develop vocabulary and explore different ways to use oral language. They鈥檒l gain an understanding of how words have meaning both verbally and in print as they prepare to become successful readers in the near future.
You may wonder whether it鈥檚 ever too early to teach your child how to read.
The truth is that there are many crucial steps along the way. So erase the vision of your toddler reading a chapter book — that鈥檚 not the goal, nor is it developmentally appropriate. All kids develop at their own pace, of course. But the question of 鈥渢eaching your child how to read鈥� is answered with more nuance.
Start by engaging your child and getting them excited about talking, listening, and interacting. According to most U.S. learning standards, children are not expected to recognize and name all 26 letters of the alphabet (uppercase and lowercase) until the end of kindergarten. There鈥檚 no need to rush them.
You can, however, foster literacy and oral language development as early as birth. Remember that literacy involves both receptive (what they hear) and expressive (what they say) language, so even a simple task, such as reading a bedtime story, helps young children soak up the language they need to become good communicators and fluent readers later on.
But it鈥檚 not just reading books. Singing is great! So are rhyming, ABC magnets, picture books, and toys. You can also use tools, such as educational toys (e.g. blocks with letters and pictures on them), games, videos, and flashcards to help your little one build vocabulary skills early on. The key is to try a variety of approaches, find what engages your child, and make it a fun time together. When the time is right for your child, they鈥檒l use what they鈥檝e learned to start reading words in print.
Language activities for 3- to 5-year-olds
It鈥檚 important to help your child build literacy and language skills in the preschool years as this can prepare them for reading fluency and comprehension expectations down the road. As preschoolers master letter-sound knowledge, print awareness, sight words, and other essential pre-reading concepts, they鈥檒l continually learn how to use this knowledge to become fluent readers.
Reading-based activities
Get in the habit of reading a few books to your child every day. Many experts (including educators, pediatricians, parenting gurus) reiterate the idea of making nightly reading part of your child鈥檚 bedtime routine. But reading is a great activity at any time of day — while eating breakfast, while on public transportation, before or after nap time, after preschool, or when your child needs some quiet cuddle time. Check out our book suggestions for preschoolers to help you get started.
Singing-based activities
Singing is magical for oral language development. According to a review of literature titled 鈥溾�� and published in April 2023, music plays a central role in language development starting from the early stages of life. So sing Itsy-bitsy spider, The wheels on the bus, and other childhood favorites — but also play music while you鈥檙e cooking or driving and dance or sing along. Give your child the opportunity to play with kid-friendly musical instruments and let them experiment with sounds and vocals.
Play-based activities
Play pretend with your child as often as you can. After a doctor鈥檚 appointment or a day at preschool, have your child pretend to be the doctor or the teacher and give you a check-up or lesson. Pretend play is a wonderful way for kids to explore new words and phrases. If trucks are your child鈥檚 thing, play trucks and encourage your child to narrate what they鈥檙e doing. 鈥淐rash!鈥� is great. Over time, see if you can get them to expand to: 鈥淚鈥檓 racing so fast! I鈥檓 catching up! I鈥檓 ahead!鈥�
Make the world your child鈥檚 learning space
Go to the park to play! Take nature walks and point out different flowers, animals, bodies of water and teach your child what they鈥檙e called. Visit a children鈥檚 museum or the zoo. Everywhere you go, there are new experiences and words for your child to discover. When your 3-year-old stops to stare intently into the sewer grate, take the time to explain what it鈥檚 called and a little bit about why it鈥檚 there and how it works. When you can get your child talking about what they notice, you have fodder for great conversations and oodles of language development.
On-the-go activities
Play I Spy! Ask your child a silly question, like what is the grossest ice cream flavor they can think of. Talking — and specifically having innovative back-and-forth conversations — is great for language development. From playing Hi and Goodbye to watching Frozen II together (again!), check out these seven literacy-boosting activities that you can do without a book in sight.
Encouraging a lifelong love for learning
Young children are innately curious — they love to learn new things. Nurture that curiosity and love of learning by following your child鈥檚 interests. Check out books about animals or find songs about dinosaurs or watch a video about running water. Answer your child鈥檚 questions and ask them questions, too. Whatever you do, keep it going and make it fun. The goal is to stoke your child鈥檚 enthusiasm and fuel their love of learning.
