In Sign & Sing the last two weeks we've been talking about reading with young children. Last week part of our discussion included talking about early literacy behaviors. Young children explore books much as they would toys. They demonstrate an interest in reading with the following behaviors:
- chewing or mouthing
- gazing at pictures
- giggling, laughing, babbling, cooing
- talking or signing
- pointing in general or at pictures of interest
- turning pages
- changing books frequently
The goals of a reading session with a child are very simple. You don't have to read a book cover to cover or even use the text at all. Aim instead to create an enjoyable experience, to foster positive feelings about books, to share a moment together, and to expose your child to language and pictures.
Here are some great links for parents looking for further information on early literacy and/or book suggestions for young children:
Zero to Three's fabulous page on early literacy
The Denver Public Library's amazing Babble, Scribble, Read page for Grown-ups
Check out their "Book Buzz" for favorite books categorized by age
The Oppenheim Toy Portfolio also has a great section with book recommendations by age
My favorite list for books is the National Parent's As Teachers Suggested Reading lists which inlcude a list for birth to age three that goes so far as to list a few books for each month of life. The books we've chosen off this list for our little guy have usually become quick favorites and often include books I would not have found otherwise.
If you know of any other great resources out there, please share in the comments below.
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