When your child is very young, talk to her about activities you are doing and ask her simple questions, such as what color shirt she is wearing. As she gets older, ask her about things that happened earlier in the day or week to help her develop recall and comprehension skills. When you read a story together, talk to her about your favorite parts in the book, the plot and what events in your life reading the story made you think about.
Playing language games helps your child learn about sounds, letters and word relationships. Have your young child find specific letters, such as the first letter in his name, on billboards when driving in the car or a specific letter when eating alphabet soup. As your child moves into elementary school, play word-blending games, by asking your child such questions as "What word do I have if I put the sounds /c/ /a/ /t/ together?" or "How many words can we list that rhyme with hot?"
Spend time every day reading with your child to give her the opportunity to hear stories in an enjoyable environment. Allow your child to explore books on her own by encouraging her to look through the pictures, make up stories or practice sounding out simple words. Talk to your child about the different parts of the book and explain how you start reading with the title on the cover, then read each page from left to right. Show your child that you enjoy reading by spending some of your free time reading books or magazines.
Writing helps your child learn that print conveys a message and gives older children a chance to practice their letter-blending and word-building skills that are needed in reading. Offer your child paper and an assortment of writing utensils from a young age. At first, your child may simply scribble, but as he gets older and learns how to form each letter, he should begin to sound out simple words to label his pictures or make up his own stories.