From day one of their lives, children are exposed to words. Even before birth, babies hear what words sound like and once born, they can visually see printed letters in text.

According to Make Way for Books, 90 percent of a child’s brain development occurs by the age of five.

So how do you help them develop the literacy skills to begin reading? The alphabet is a magnificent place to begin! These are the building blocks for a child to become familiar with literacy.

Place an importance on the distinctive sounds of letters like b, p, g, and k, for example. This will help them to grow an ear for sound awareness. Or, use a strategy such as practicing spelling your child’s name—something they will be writing, seeing, and hearing often—to start.

Literacy is broken down into four categories: listening, speaking, writing, and reading. So pick up books, too! Children’s books are perfect because they feature large images that encourage imagination and bright colors to engage readers. With that said, continue to be passionate when reading with your child!

Slow down the process of reading in order for your child to comprehend what’s being read. Also, re-reading books will begin to build your child’s vocabulary by seeing and hearing the same words over and over. As your child begins to understand stories, ask them questions! Engage them in the thinking process of what words mean to create reading comprehension at an early age.

In the digital era, learning is now able to go beyond just the pages of a book! ABC Alphabet Phonics Lite is a simple and stellar app for parents to use with their children anytime! This free app is a game where the child is asked to pick the correct letter out of a choice of three or four other letters. It contains sound and visual learning in an active and fun way.

Using these resources and strategies will help your child to listen, speak, read, and eventually write at a more rapid pace by creating a culture of literacy in the home!

For more information on early literacy and its importance, visit Read by 4th.