Have a routine.

Try to read together every day. Before bed is a great time to read, but choose a time of day that works best for your family.

Make the book extra interesting by trying different voices for different characters.

Books are a great way to learn new words, so pause to talk about words your child doesn’t know. “That’s a ‘beetle.’ It’s a type of bug.”

“What do you think will happen next?” or “Why is the girl happy?” After asking, wait 5 seconds before saying anything else. This gives your child time to think and respond.

When you read a story together, point to a person in the book and ask, “How is he feeling?” When your child responds, ask if they have a guess about why. They can look for clues in the pictures.

Help your child make personal connections to the stories you read. For example, “Do you remember when we made soup? What did we put in our soup?”

Before you open the book, check out the cover. Read the title. Look at the pictures. Ask your child what they think the story is about.

Write the first letter of your child’s name largely on a piece of paper. They can place stickers or blocks on your lines (it’s also fine if they go off the lines!). Try other letters in their name.

Out in public? Find items with labels, like a TRASH CAN, and encourage your child to identify the letters they know and sound out the word.

Pick a book that you and your child have read several times. This time, have them “read” the story to you. They can describe what is happening in the pictures.