Easy Ways Child Care Providers Can Help Young Children Build Literacy Skills

Teacher reading to children

Supporting and encouraging young children’s emerging literacy does not have to be difficult. Child care providers can be great role models to help young children learn reading skills. If providers read and write with children, the children are more likely to enjoy reading and writing and to learn that literacy is important.

Many child care providers read books aloud, but forget that there are other ways to encourage children’s emerging literacy skills. Here are some simple things child care providers can do in the early childhood curriculum that build young children’s developing literacy skills.

Have books around for children to look at when they want
Keep paper and crayons handy for children to draw and write
Label some things in the environment so children get used to seeing print
Talk about books you read together
Sing songs together. Practice the words out loud until children learn them.
Let children see you reading newspapers, magazines and books
Let children help you write grocery lists, write letters to family, or copy favorite recipes
Bring in junk mail and let children open and “read” it
Build in times for children to tell stories, and listen with interest
Tell them stories told to you as a child
Take children to the library. Make choosing a library book a fun event.

For More Information

To learn more about supporting young children’s developing language and literacy skills, take a look at the following eXtension Alliance for Better Child Care articles:

To find activities to build on your favorite children’s books, check out the database of Story-Stretching Ideas for Child Care. Each book in the database has a read-aloud guide and 8 – 10 activity ideas that expand the story.