Help your child explore the world of letters as a way to encourage early reading skills. From learning the alphabet song to playing with magnetic letter on the refrigerator, the more exposure to letters your child experiences, the more confidently they will learn letter sounds. Children who recognize letters from playing with them on blocks and from beloved toddler cardboard books will have added interest in learning how letters work. Your child should recognize most, if not all, of the letters in the alphabet by the time he starts formal reading classes. Also, he should know that each letter has a specific sound attached to it, and perhaps be able to identify the sounds of some easy consonants such as "buh" in ball for the letter "B." Observe your child while driving around to see if he notices large letters on billboards and signs to check his reading readiness skills.
Help your child notice words to ensure readiness in reading skills. Many preschoolers enjoy learning which letters work together to make their name. Each time you print your child's name, say the letters out loud to bring special attention to her name. In your child's bedroom, write her name where she can see her name daily. Branch out to other family member's name to continue stressing the importance of words. As you teach your child your address or other important information, write it out so she can see the relationship between words.
Play rhyming games with your child so she begins to associate words with sounds you say. Use these games to introduce new words to your child so that her vocabulary grows, as well. Always use words she knows to define new words she encounters. At the store, look for labels she recognizes and read them to her. Bringing her awareness to all the printed words used in daily life will promote reading readiness skills.
Help your child develop a love of reading by reading books aloud everyday. Use her finger under each word as you read aloud to help promote awareness of how to read. Children need to know that words make up sentences which, in turn, make up a story. Also, they should realize that you read the left-hand page of a book before you read the right-hand page. You may catch your child pretending to read a well-known story and you will be able to tell if he understands how a book operates. Reading readiness skills also include story comprehension and plot sequences. After reading a story, ask your child a few questions to ensure he understood what happened in the story and the order in which it happened.