Reading and Environmental Print
Reading begins the moment you speak to your little one in the womb. It's the words they hear and feel.

Nurturing a love of reading doesn't need to be hard (unless something else is going on). Reading should be natural and part of our daily our lives. Reading is something we do daily, sometimes without realizing it and that’s why environmental print is a huge part of a child’s reading journey.

Evironmental print is what we see everyday. It's the words on a cereal box, the bag of animal food, labels in the pantry and any other words a child sees often. Pointing out and reading the words you see supports that reading foundation I talked about in my previous post.

*If reading is a struggle for your little one, read to them and don't push. Reading should never be a negative in a little one’s life. It should be a time to connect, to imagine and a time to enjoy.

*Another side note-Follow the child and let them explore books even if they are beyond their reading level, this is not important. FOSTERING a LOVE of READING is KEY!

Some simple ways to do this to build environmental print into daily routines.

Make grocery lists together (for little ones, you write the word and your child can illustrate) and then look for the items on the store shelves while pointing out the words.

While driving point to STOP signs and any other street sign and have your child help you look for them!

Look for stores along the way and point out branded stores that have large signs.

When you go out to eat, point to the restaurant's name and logo.

While preparing food, let your child help and talk about the words they see while preparing food.

Label things around the home (sink, bathtub, door, table…)

Before you know it, your little one will be pointing and "reading." Yes, memorizing is the beginning! It's why children want to hear a story over and over! Point as you read the words and watch as they begin to do the same.

There are so many ways to make reading a part of daily life. I would love to hear what you do!?!

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