Three Fun Ideas for Our Littlest Emerging Readers

One of the most important things I think we can do for our kids from the time they’re born is surround them with books, books, and more books.  If we’re reading to our children from day one, they’ll understand from a really early age how to orient books, how language flows from left to right, intonation, and facial expressions involved in storytelling.  And as we read them the same books (over, and over, and over again!), they will be able to memorize them and “read” them themselves, even before they can identify letters of the alphabet.  One of my absolute favorite things is when my baby girl “reads” to me, even though she can’t quite read yet.  Her intonation and animation are totally on point!

Once we’ve got eager emerging readers on our hands, it’s important that we find fun and effective ways to help them learn to read so they can fully embrace the joy of reading as early as they’re able (without pushing, just supporting!).

Here are three different things we’ve been doing with our little one that she’s been loving:

1.  “Teach Your Child to Read in 100 Easy Lessons”

I used this book with my first as well, and it really catapulted him into early reading.  This book has, per the title, 100 lessons you do with your child, which are focused on phonics and the connections of sounds.  I love how it has an actual script for us parents, so there’s absolutely no “teaching” we’re responsible for, just guiding.  Each lesson takes about 15 minutes, so it can easily be a pre-nap or bedtime routine!

2.  “Initial Consonants” Cards

I have found so many amazing resources through Montessori Services (montessoriservices.com), including these consonant cards.  They are divided into sets of consonants, with picture cards for each consonant so your child can practice organizing pictures by their initial consonant sound.  The cards are laminated, so they stand up even to sticky fingers, and come in organized little boxes so they’re easy to use and clean up.  Kensley is loving these right now, and I’m seeing her really start to understand the sounds that go along with letters.  She’s pretty excited.

3.  “I Spy Everything” Alphabet Book

Similar to the consonant cards, this cute little book focuses on matching the sounds of pictures with letters.  Each page is a different letter, and says “I spy with my little eye something beginning with…..A,” and there is one picture among a few that begins with that letter for your child to find.  This is a fun book for kids to play with on their own or with you.  And it’s an inspiration for playing this game anywhere!  Usually we play the I Spy game with colors, but why not step it up and play with the alphabet? And what kiddo doesn’t love the I Spy game?! 

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There are countless fun and creative ways we can support our emerging readers; these are just a few that I hope you find inspiring too!

Happy reading!