Reading with and to children has many benefits for a child’s development. Younger children build the foundation for language skills and their vocabulary grows as new words are read to them. Reading also helps older children with social emotional development and enhances imagination.
December is the perfect time of year to cuddle up with your child and read together. Books and toys that encourage early literacy are also great options for holiday gifts and stocking stuffers. Encouraging and helping children read is a gift you can give that will last a lifetime!
- Give the gift of free books! Enroll children, ages birth-5, in the Ohio Governor’s Imagination Library to receive a new free book every month. Sign up here.
- What can you do before, during, and after reading a book with your child? Read this article from Sesame Street In Communities, Tips for Reading Together.
- Learn the importance of early literacy and how to incorporate it through your day in this article from ZERO TO THREE, Five Fast Facts: Reading with Under-Threes.
- Try these tips from Talking Is Teaching for Language-building at the Laundromat through talking, singing, and reading.
- Make every page count with these read aloud tips from Reach Out and Read.
Learn Through Play Daily Activities: December
Help children learn through play by using one of the following age-specific monthly calendars that feature daily activities.
- Learn Through Play Calendar: Infant
- Learn Through Play Calendar: Toddler
- Learn Through Play Calendar: Preschool
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