Fostering a Love of Books At Home
Many parents wonder how they can organize books in their home to help develop their child’s literacy skills. In the classroom, this is called “creating a print rich environment”. You can create a print rich environment right in your home, too! Below are eight ideas to get you started:
Have multiple places where your child can access books (bedroom, playroom, living room)
Have children’s books on low bookshelves where the child can access independently
Have small baskets of books where you don’t want a bookshelf
Post a calendar and make lists so that literacy is seen as an everyday practice; a grocery list is the perfect way to connect literacy to everyday life
Make a writing center at home! This doesn’t take a lot of space — an area with some pencils and a few choices of paper works well!
Talk about written items that you use and see such as menus at restaurants, recipes, signs you see on stores or while driving
Imagine ways in which you can add print materials to your children’s play spaces. Does the play restaurant need a writing tablet? Are their building directions for a construction toy that children could read? Can some sticky notes be used to add signs to the zoo?
Use simply materials to play word games. A dollar store cookie sheet and some magnet letters is a great place to start
Making books and other literacy materials readily available reinforces the idea that print has many purposes, provides your child with easy access to literacy, and helps your child recognize the role of print in their everyday life!
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