Reading by 9: Daily activities can be an easy introduction to literacy. Here’s how.

The activities below are based on literary practices and can help build pre-reading skills. Try them out with your littles to set them up for reading success!

As you prepare family dinner, talk to your child about things that are happening and utensils found in the kitchen. When your child “helps” by taking out all the plates and cups, talk about them. You may ask, “Which one is the biggest?”, “What do we use a cup for?” or “What color is this one?”

Let your child doodle in soft substances, such as sandboxes at the park or yogurt at mealtime! This simple activity will help strengthen eyehand coordination that will help them with writing later on.

Using flashlights with older babies and toddlers is a fun sensory activity. Sensory activities help to build cognitive skills. In addition, babies will learn to visually track the light. Visual tracking is a skill children will use when they have to follow words on a page.

Use an empty container or toy box and place a few of your child’s toys in it. Fill up the container or toy box with sand and bury the toys. Get your child to close their eyes and pretend to go on a “treasure hunt.” As you and the children take turns pulling toys out of the box, encourage them to create a story from what they find. This activity helps to develop your child’s narrative skills which is one of the essential pre-reading skills.

View the full guide here.