Activity books can help young readers, and free, online activity books are available for download. "Helping Your Child Become a Reader" by the U.S. Department of Education stresses the importance of learn-to-read concepts, including talking, listening, reading together and early efforts to write. The book includes baby talk, learning the ABCs and early writing activities as well as a reading checklist. It includes how to help children learn to read, words of encouragement and what to do if you think your child has a reading problem.
Many online resources provide helpful learning-to-read tools. For example, the Reading Rockets website, which is linked in the Resources section, offers resources for parents, teachers, principals and librarians. The website includes advice for teaching young readers, identifying early signs of reading problems and links to other reading resource websites. You also may view readers' guides to help children learn to read. The PBS Kids website, linked in Resources, features interactive reading resources, including games, stories and video clips to help children learn to read.
Children's games serve as interactive reading resources to help children develop and enhance skills such as reading comprehension and vocabulary. One maker of educational games is LeapFrog, which designs games for children aged 3 months to 10 years. Such games teach reading concepts, including letter recognition, phonics, rhyming and repetition, and matching and music. Activities vary by theme, and some educational books feature Disney characters, zoo animals and Dr. Seuss.
Printed online resources also can help your child learn to read. The Family Education website, linked in Resources, offers a printable activities booklet based on the children's story "The Very Hungry Caterpillar," alphabet activities that include uppercase and lowercase concentration and letter matching, a worksheet on how books work and a dictionary guide. Printing online worksheets and working with your child can help to improve her reading skills. Worksheet topics vary from beginning to advanced reading concepts.