By Sheila Dickinson
As a children’s librarian putting together story times for young kids, I reinforce language skills and learning by singing songs with my young audience, talking with them, playing together, writing, and of course reading with them. My colleagues and I love to share books, music, musical instruments, chalk for sidewalks, coloring pages, puppets, flannel boards, and toys at the library.
Bringing your child to story time at your local library is a fantastic way to connect, have fun together, and help your child develop. But your home is also already full of pre-literacy and early literacy tools. And you may know some tricks to engage with your kids that you didn’t realize were pre-literacy activities! This post will share some tips for bringing the library experience home and keeping the learning (and fun) going.
You already have the makings of your own DIY literacy toolkit at home (whether you know it or not), ready to draw on anytime to encourage and support your early learner. You just have to use it. Here are the crucial tools in your kit, plus advice and inspiration for putting them to use:
Your mouth. Talking with your child will help them learn oral language and the give and take of conversation. Even babbling with you is conversation. Use costume props to tell them a story. Make funny noises. Wear a fake moustache and a silly hat.
Learn more: Follow these links to read more about the brain-building power of talk and parental responsiveness, as well as the importance of conversational turns for young kids.
Your voice. Singing develops language skills by slowing down language so kids can hear the different sounds of words. Singing also helps them learn new words and get new information. Basic musical instruments can also help with these skills: a shaker egg, a rattle, a toy drum, a toy whistle. Shake or whistle along to your songs!
Tip: It’s super easy to make your own shaker egg.
Books. Reading together develops vocabulary and comprehension. Reading together nurtures a love of reading and motivates children to want to learn to read. Board books for kids under three years old are so beautiful these days, rich in color and fun!
Discover: See How to Maximize the Benefits of Reading Aloud to Your Kids for simple tips that will help you and your child get the most out of your shared story time. Then check out our curated lists of picture books for various themes and holidays.
Chalk, crayons, markers, pencils, paint. Writing with kids and pointing out words in their daily lives makes them aware that printed letters stand for spoken words. When you write, point out the letters and words you’re using, so they connect the symbols with the sounds they hear. As they’re ready, help them write, or let them invent their own spellings as they learn the sounds of letters and how they form words.
Get inspired: Look through these fun literacy activities to find lots of fun and simple games and activities that incorporate writing.
Toys and imagination. Playing is one of the ways kids learn language and develop literacy skills. Acting stories out helps to put thoughts into words and helps kids describe what they are doing. Maybe you have a stuffed animal octopus and can act out the “slippery fish” song where the octopus gets eaten by a shark? Maybe you have some dinosaurs that ride boats in the rain puddles? Why are they on boats? Ask that kid; find out why.
Related: Discover how storytelling can help you build joy, connection, and (yes) literacy with young kids with these fun DIY storytelling crafts.
Librarians and libraries are your enthusiastic supporters as you journey toward raising a voracious reader. Parents are a kid’s first and best teacher, and reading begins at birth, or before! We librarians want to support you to make sure your family will use the library your whole lives. So raise your voice and talk, sing, read, draw, write, and play your way to raising a lifelong reader.
Want to find more inspiration for your DIY literacy toolkit? Follow Maya Smart on Pinterest or Facebook for tips, tutorials, and tools to raise your reader the fun way.
As summer begins to wind down, all I can think is, “I want s’more!” S’more fun, s’more sunshine, s’more time by a campfire, and definitely s’more of the delectable dessert of the season itself. In that spirit, and to keep up the summer learning, we’re going to create a fun s’mores spelling game that teaches tricky consonant blends. This activity will evoke the fun of toasting marshmallows, but with a lot less gooey mess. (Or for an extra-gooey edible option, see the end of the post!)
This activity helps children with spelling, specifically when working with words that have consonant blends. A consonant blend is when two consonants are next to each other in a word, such as in the word flip. When children begin to spell these words, it’s often hard for them to hear the second consonant in the blend. Building these words into “s’mores” in this spelling game helps kids slow down the word and listen for each letter. This reinforces what we call phonemic awareness (a super important early literacy skill), as well as teaching how to spell new words!
Materials:
- Cardboard
- White paper
- Dark brown paper
- Markers
- Scissors
- S is for S’mores by Helen Foster James, or another camping-themed book (optional)
Cost: Free, if you have these simple supplies at home! If you need construction paper, it will be around $7.
Step 1: Prepare a list of five words that start with consonant blends that you’ll be helping your child spell during the activity. Some great choices are trip, plug, frog, crab, and drum.
Alternatively, you can also adapt this activity to work for words that end with consonant blends, such as belt, tilt or band, or words that end in double letters, such as pass or buzz.
Step 2: Cut the cardboard into 10 squares. These will be your graham crackers.
Step 3: On your cardboard graham crackers, write the consonants that begin or end your target words. Remember: Graham crackers start and finish a s’more! This is a good time to refer to your list in order to keep your letters organized. For example, if you choose the word frog, make sure to write F on one square and G on another.
Step 4: Cut the dark brown paper into five squares that are approximately the same size as the cardboard. This is your chocolate.
Step 5: On your “chocolate” squares, write down the consonants that are the second letters of your words. (Or the second-to-last, if you opt to use words with consonant blends at the end.) For example, if you choose the word frog, you’ll need one piece of “chocolate” with the letter R on it. If you use the word belt, you’ll need an L.
Note: You will probably have multiples of the same letter, because certain consonants like L and R are very common in blends. That’s totally fine!
Step 6: Cut the white paper into five rounded squares that will fit on your pieces of “chocolate.” These are your marshmallows! On them, write the vowels needed to create your words.
Step 7: Time to play! Call out one of the words from your list. Your child will need to grab all of the correct s’more ingredients to spell the right word. If they’re having trouble, help them out—this can absolutely be a team game. Once they’ve spelled the word correctly, they can go ahead and spell s’more words!
Adaptation for older children: If your child is a more advanced speller, you can simply let them play around with the ingredients and discover for themselves the words they can build into s’mores.
Edible option: When you’re done, you might just enjoy a real-life s’more to finish off your faux-camping fun! Or you could really go all-out and do this consonant blends spelling game with real s’more ingredients, by writing your letters on graham crackers, chocolate pieces, and marshmallows using icing. If you do, be sure to share pictures on social media and tag us!
Book Pairing: We love to combine literacy activities with a relevant read-aloud. Pair your s’mores spelling activity with a picture book to get in the camping spirit. Some of my favorites are S is for S’mores, CeCe Loves Science and Adventure, and Curious George Goes Camping. You could even set up a tent or a nest of sleeping bags to read in, or read by a pretend fire outside, if you really want to set the mood! As you read, point out any words you encounter that have consonant blends, and help your child sound them out.
Looking for more fun games to teach reading, writing, and spelling? Check out our other literacy activities.
By Laila Weir
What?! Use fashion to teach early reading skills? Well, yes. When you’re raising little people, buying clothes is something you have to do a lot. Not only do they outgrow things seemingly overnight, but there are also endless stains, tears, and misplacings to contend with. (Buying them adorable clothes also happens to be fun, at least in my book!)
Raising a successful reader is also an important part of the parenting job—as in, critically important. Research shows that childhood literacy is crucial: Students that can read by third grade are less likely to drop out of high school and less vulnerable to poverty and unemployment later on. Conversely, around 70 percent of U.S. prison inmates operate at the lowest literacy level. Yet, before COVID-19, a national evaluation showed that two-thirds of U.S. 4th and 8th graders weren’t proficient readers. So, parents, it’s up to us to help kids get where they need to be.
In the earliest years, learning the concept that language can be expressed through symbols on paper (or fabric!) is key, along with mastering the ABCs—which takes time and practice. Next up is getting familiar with lots of high-frequency words, and comfortable sounding out simple words—which also takes time and practice. Often, the best way to impart these skills in real, busy life with real, impatient kids is to weave them into other daily activities.
And so we got to thinking. What if we could combine these two foundational and yet seemingly unrelated parts of parenting? And it turns out the answer is a fun, low-stress way to build early reading into your and your kids’ busy days. The key is to look for chances to reinforce letter learning and reading skills while shopping for and dressing your child. (Tip: This works with anything! Words on a cereal box? Letters on traffic signs? Point them out!)
Here are some tips for using fashion to foster phonics (sorry, we couldn’t resist!):
Look for Easy-to-Read Writing
Kids’ T-shirts and other clothing often feature cute phrases, slogans, and even brand names all over them. Look for items that use a font kids can read, not curlicue script. This alone will open up the opportunity to show letters to your child, whether or not the words are anything they’re near ready to master.
Point out the letters to your child, tell them what each is and what sound it makes. Then discuss how the letter is formed—like, “See how you draw a curve to make a C?” or “Look! A line down and a line across makes a T.”—and trace it with your finger. Help your child trace it with their finger, too. Just remember this is best done before they put on the clothes, or when they take them off. Showing them in the mirror won’t have the same effect!
Seek Out Easy Words and Phrases
When possible, also opt for clothing with simple words on it. Even better, scoop up any items with a whole phrase that your child could learn to read. But if that’s not readily available (or it’s not cute, comfy, or quality), look for something that has a few words your child can sound out, or a few high-frequency words your child could start getting familiar with.
Lots of T-shirts and sweatshirts have the words and or the on them, as well as other important words to start recognizing. Some brand names and slogans are also great for beginning readers. (Think: Just do it.)
Then point out the words to your child. Meet them where they are: If they’re just mastering letter sounds, remind them what sounds the letters in question make, and then demonstrate sounding out the words. If they’re a little further along, let them try for themselves, but give them plenty of support and encouragement.
You can read to them any words they can’t read for themselves, tracing your finger along under the words as you go. Even the youngest kids will benefit from learning that these combinations of letters represent words they know and that we read words from left to right.
Repeat, Repeat, Repeat
Ok, so this tip isn’t unique to using fashion to teach your child reading skills. It’s fundamental to our whole approach to raising a reader from day one through … well, forever!
If you can forgive the play on words, Rome wasn’t spelled in a day. It takes a whole lot of repetition to help kids master the alphabet, remember letter sounds, commit letter combinations and spelling rules to memory, and internalize the many common words that strong adult readers have memorized. (Let’s just say that if we had a nickel for every time we repeated to what seemed to be deaf ears “Remember, a silent E makes a long vowel,” we’d treat you all to a back-to-school shopping spree.)
So repeat the lessons every time your child wears a readable outfit (or you do!), and stay patient. Even the millionth time your sweet little thing reads “make” as “mack.” They’ll get there—with your help.
Get Clothes You Can Write On
Various small vendors sell T-shirts with a blank patch you can “write” on using a pen light. The writing shows up great in the dark, then fades away, so you can use it over and over. These make a super fun novelty gift that’s sure to keep the wearer and their friends entertained at any sleepover or campout! Just don’t forget to encourage them to practice writing their name, and to learn to write simple messages. Wow! Yes! and Fun! would be perfect, easy places to start.
You can also find “write-on-me” T-shirts with blank spaces or speech bubbles intended for adding a permanent message of your own, which are an easy starter version of our next tip…
Make Your Own
Why not craft your own ABC hats or spelling words T-shirts, too? Craft stores are full of colorful blank clothing items, fabric markers, and fabric paint. If you can’t find just the right fashion for raising your reader, go ahead and make your own!
Invite your beginning writer to join in the fun, too. As they get older, you can help them stencil favorite quotes from books onto their creations, like this adorable Harry Potter quote shirt. (Tip: Book-quote T-shirts also make great gifts.)
We hope this post will inspire you to keep reading skills top of mind as you shop for your kids this year.
How else are you weaving reading skills into life with littles? Let us know in the comments, or connect with us on social media!
It happened on a Thursday afternoon. I was watching a friend’s two children for the day: eight-year-old Topher and his five-year-old sister, Elizabeth. Topher was helping me set up lunch on the back porch and Elizabeth had gone inside to get her doll. As Topher and I came back inside to grab juice boxes, I noticed the house had become quiet. Too quiet. The kind of quiet that all parents and teachers know. That kind of quiet can only mean one thing—trouble.
I found Elizabaeth in the bathroom. She stood next to the bathtub, into which she had cracked six eggs and emptied an entire bottle of orange shampoo. My mouth fell open.
“Elizabeth, what happened?” I cried.
“It’s okay Ms. Chrysta,” she replied. “It’s for science. It’s supposed to be messy.”
And you know what? She was right. Science should be an exploration, and children should be passionate to try and build, experiment, and innovate. But rather than ever having to clean raw eggs out of my tub again—and to save you from a similar fate—I’ve curated a list of some of the most awesome Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (aka STEM) books for young children around.
Whatever piques your child’s interest and stirs their scientific thinking—be it Legos, computer games, outer space, or cracking eggs in a tub—support their STEM learning with a great book. And maybe a mop.
As a parent and educator, I’m always on the lookout for kids’ books that not only entertain but also teach and inspire. Hispanic Heritage Month is a good time to introduce young readers to stories that celebrate the rich culture and history of Hispanic and Latinx communities. The U.S. observes National Hispanic Heritage Month from September 15 to October 15. Seize the moment with this list of Hispanic heritage children’s books for all ages, from board books to YA titles.
Whether through playful adventures, touching family stories, or inspiring journeys, all these stories allow Hispanic and Latinx children to see themselves in the characters and settings, fostering a sense of pride and identity. They also give other children a chance to learn about a wide array of countries and cultures. So head to your local bookstore or library and then curl up with your kids to dive into these vibrant tales filled with heart, humor, and adventure.
Hispanic Heritage Board Books
Picture Books for Hispanic Heritage Month
Hispanic Heritage Young Adult Books for Tweens
There are few better books to teach children about the importance of teamwork, resilience, and discipline than the true-life stories of legendary Olympians. Whether you’re gearing up for two weeks of cheering on your country or basking in the inspiration afterwards, we curated a list of picture books celebrating unforgettable Olympic moments and exploring the history of the Games. Learn about athletes who broke racial barriers, shattered records, and went on to extraordinary lives of service post-retirement. These inspiring picture books will have your little ones dreaming big!
Bonus:
For story lovers, podcasts are a treasure trove of high quality, original, and often free narrative audio entertainment—and there are many shows that will delight even the youngest listeners. Kids’ story podcasts (the most popular category of podcasts among children, according to a recent survey) are a fantastic opportunity for toddlers and preschoolers to discover stories. Plus, they also offer a valuable chance to hone early reading skills along the way.
If you explore kids’ story podcasts, you’ll notice there’s a lot of choice, which is where this hand-picked list comes in! Browse our suggestions for a place to start, and be sure to let us know if you find other great options. Once you find shows you and your little one like, check out their websites, too—many of them offer bonus materials and activities to enrich children’s listening experiences.
Before you get started, though, a few tips: Many kids’ story podcasts cater to quite broad age ranges, so it pays to be selective about which episodes to play for toddlers and preschoolers. It’s worth listening beforehand and making a playlist of episodes you think might work for your child, in terms of length, age suitability, content, format, and presentation style. Playlists also come in handy if your child enjoys revisiting episodes, or if they want to be able to play episodes for themselves.
For young kids new to podcasts, you could also begin with episodes that cover stories they already know—retellings of classic tales or adaptations of picture books they can follow along with. When possible, choose settings that allow for minimal interruptions from advertising messages or discussion by the hosts, which can be distracting.
Created by parents of young kids, this free podcast is international in outlook, putting on lesser-known folktales from around the world. Featuring music, sound effects, and often well-known narrators, each weekly 15- to 25-minute episode explores a theme such as kindness or gratitude, and ends with a suggestion for an activity based around the message. Narration is on the quick side, so older preschoolers will probably find it easier to follow than toddlers.
The talented team at this free podcast take “stories written by kids and turn them into sketch comedy and songs” for listeners “aged 3 to 103.” The lively 30- to 40-minute shows often feature famous contributors, and each episode includes two stories, interviews with the authors, plus story prompts for children to make up their own tales. (Related: Read about how making up stories builds joy, connection, and literacy.) Little listeners might not follow everything, but are still likely to enjoy the silliness and enthusiasm, requesting their favorite episodes and songs on repeat.
Traditional tales meet classical music in this monthly podcast sharing free kids’ audio stories. This is a great option for toddlers or kids just starting out with audio. Each episode is short, usually under 10 minutes, the pace of the narration is measured, and many of the stories—like The Tortoise and the Hare and The Gingerbread Man—may already be familiar to even very young listeners.
With both classic stories and original creations for children of all ages, this free weekly podcast features serialized as well as stand-alone tales. There’s no music, but the narration is dramatic and engaging, so these strike a good balance between being easy to follow and fun. Most episodes come in under 20 minutes, with occasional bumper shows that are great for road trips.
This podcast shares children’s books, introduced by a boy named Benny and his dog Buddy, and always with some connection to them or what they’re doing—for example, they introduce Ezra Jack Keats’ classic Whistle for Willie as they practice playing fetch. Each of the eight episodes is under 10 minutes, making this a good option for toddlers, especially if they have a hard copy of the picture book on hand to help them follow along. We’ve primarily featured free podcasts for kids, but this show is featured on the paid audio-streaming service Pinna, which also features children’s audiobooks.
Yoga teacher and educator Chanel Tsang shares relaxation stories on this free podcast. Each episode starts with a short meditation, and kids are invited to interact with the story through actions and visualization. Running at around 20 minutes each, to soothing background music, these are a nice option for quiet time or pre-bedtime listening.
With original free kids’ audio stories for children aged 2 to 12, each episode in this biweekly podcast by Bedtime FM is under 20 minutes long, making it a great choice for toddlers and preschoolers. Perfect for winding down, the shows keep music to a minimum in favor of clear narration.
Though aimed largely at children aged 7 to 11, this extremely long-running and free story podcast also puts on lots of nursery rhymes and simpler stories that preschoolers and even toddlers will enjoy. Relatively pared back in terms of music and sound effects, the emphasis is on clear, measured narration by actors. Each episode varies in length from around 5 to 20 minutes.
The international team behind this free weekly podcast puts on a hugely fun and immersive listening experience—featuring stories from around the world, each one presented as a mini radio play by a full cast of children. With lively sound effects and most episodes coming in at under 15 minutes, this is a popular choice for toddlers and up.
Story Village is a charming podcast hosted by Aunti Oni Lasana, who is known for her vibrant storytelling. This family-friendly podcast combines musical and cultural tales, retelling both classic and original stories from around the world. The tales are ideal listens for children, families, and educators, as they provide engaging and educational content that can be enjoyed at home, on car trips, or in the classroom.
Did you grow up loving Reading Rainbow? Then you will want to check out Sound Detectives. Hosted by the beloved LeVar Burton, each episode takes young listeners on an auditory adventure to explore the fascinating world of sounds. It invites listeners along to solve mysteries about “the case of the missing sounds” and build sound awareness along the way. With engaging storylines, delightful characters, and interactive elements, this podcast not only entertains but also educates, helping children develop critical listening skills and a keen sense of observation. An excellent option for curious minds, this podcast offers a unique blend of fun and learning.
Rather than a traditional story podcast, this delightful show hosted by award-winning author and illustrator Grace Lin engages children in the idea of story creation. It invites young listeners into the magical world of storytelling. Each episode features Lin and her guest authors answering imaginative questions from kids, offering a unique peek into the creative process of writing and illustrating books. With its captivating and educational content, Kids Ask Authors is a fantastic way to nurture your child’s love for stories and spark their creativity at the same time.
In this heartwarming podcast, a mother reads her children’s favorite books aloud. Featuring a range of stories from classics to modern favorites, it’s an ideal choice to foster a love of stories and books in preschooler listeners. With new story adventures that will nurture children’s imagination and listening skills, Storytime with Ry and Roan is a great way for parents to incorporate storytelling into kids’ daily routines, whether at home or on the go.
I scream, you scream, we all scream, “Ice cream!” And, if you’re like me, you might also be screaming for a break from the summer heat. However, I still want to make indoor play fun, creative, and, if possible, educational. Enter scoop sentences!
When kids are learning to read, they can begin to identify sentences by capitalization and punctuation. Yet, when they begin to write and construct their own sentences, it can be difficult to know what a sentence needs. This super fun reading activity helps children learn how to build a sentence (or words for younger kids) by incorporating one of summer’s greatest joys—ice cream!
Just follow the simple instructions below.
Materials
- Several different types of colorful or patterned paper or cardstock
- Paper bag or cardboard
- Scissors
- Markers
- An awesome book about ice cream (optional)
- Cup (optional)
Cost: $10 for paper or cardstock
Start with Story Time: Introduce your ice-cream-themed reading activity by coming inside from the heat and enjoying a picture book about ice cream with your child. Great choices include Ice Cream Summer by Peter Sis, Should I Share My Ice Cream? by Mo Willems, What Can You Do With a Paleta? by Carmen Tafolla, and Shave Ice in Hawaii illustrated by Mariko Merritt. (There are also a plethora of cookbooks you can use to learn how to make your own ice cream.) As you read, point out a few of the sentences.
Step 1: Draw the shapes of two ice cream cones onto the paper bag or cardboard, then cut them out. (It’s good to make two so that you can play along with your child.)
Step 2: Draw scoops of ice cream on various colors of paper, as in the picture below, then cut them out. You should make about 20, so your sentences will have some variety.
Tip: If drawing isn’t your strongest skill, you can also just trace a cup to make circles and use those as your scoops.
Step 3: On each scoop, write a single word. Choose a variety of nouns (e.g., dragon, cake, alien, ocean), verbs (e.g., sings, flies, slithers), conjunctions (e.g., and, but, so), prepositions (e.g., to, on, behind), articles (the, a), adjectives (e.g., red, slimy, fuzzy) and adverbs (e.g., quickly, slowly, loudly). Let your child help you come up with the words and write them down.
Optional: If you like, you can put different types of words on different types of paper. For example, put all your verbs on pink paper, all your nouns on patterned papers, etc.
Step 4: Mix up the scoops and place them in front of your child. Let them create a sentence with the word scoops they like best. Here is a great opportunity to guide them on what makes a sentence and what doesn’t. Gently help them add words until they have a full sentence. Once they have made a sentence, read it, pretend to eat it, and start again!
Now you have a delicious and super fun reading activity that you can play with over and over! Extend the activity by setting up different challenges: What’s the longest sentence they can make? The silliest? The shortest? There are so many combinations to make.
Adaptation for younger children: If you have a younger child, write individual letters on the scoops and try to build an ice-cream word instead!
We highly recommend rewarding yourself with some ice cream at the end too. And I wouldn’t be mad if you saved me a scoop of mint chocolate chip.
What sentences was your family able to create? Share your sentence creations with us!
For parents seeking to teach their children about history through the true stories of people who’ve worked to shape it for the better, it’s hard to imagine a more inspiring subject than anti-apartheid activist, South African president, and Nobel prize winner Nelson Rolihlahla Mandela. With Mandela’s birthday on July 18, introduce your kids to this towering figure of modern history through these picture books produced by Mandela himself and the Nelson Mandela Foundation.
Long Walk to Freedom by Nelson Mandela, Abridged by Chris Van Wyk
“Essential reading for anyone who wants to understand history—and then go out and change it.” That’s how President Barack Obama described Long Walk to Freedom, Nelson Mandela’s autobiography, much of which Mandela wrote in secret while imprisoned.
This picture book adaptation of the book for young readers delivers beautifully engaging illustrations along with accessible text. It’s pitched for middle-elementary readers but is well adapted for reading aloud to somewhat younger children, who will particularly connect with the early parts of the story depicting his childhood and schooling. The book is long, so if you read it with your child, treat it as you would a chapter book, sharing one part of the story at each reading—but the large-scale illustrations on each page and easy language keep it firmly within the grasp of younger readers and listeners.
Just remember: This book deals with the real-life experiences of a freedom fighter and political prisoner. While this book is specially adapted for kids, parents are always wise to pre-screen content and exercise caution with sensitive children, particularly in the second half of the book, where, for example, a (non-gory) illustration of the 1960 Sharpeville massacre shows people lying on the ground surrounding police with guns.
Nelson Mandela: The Authorized Comic Book by The Nelson Mandela Foundation and Umlando Wezithombe
This large-format graphic novel features gorgeously detailed illustrations by the Umlando Wezithombe collective of South African artists. It tells the story of Nelson Mandela and South Africa over the course of 193 pages. It’s aimed at middle school readers, and the action-filled drawings and speech-bubble style are sure to draw in even more reluctant readers.
Younger readers will also find the comic-strip illustrations engaging and should be able to connect with the book as well; even younger kids will enjoy seeing the pictures and having segments of the text read aloud to them. Again, parents of younger and sensitive children will want to review the content for themselves: This is written for older kids and doesn’t shy away from history. As above, the beginning of the book, covering Mandela’s childhood, is a good opening to begin sharing this story with younger listeners.
Nelson Mandela’s Favorite African Folktales
This volume brings together a collection of 32 classic, and some newer, African folktales selected by Nelson Mandela. Each magical, mystical, and mythical tale is accompanied by a whimsical, colorful illustration. Kids of all ages who enjoy fairytales and folklore (and which don’t?) will be drawn in, hooked from the opening tale, an East African story that celebrates the clear vision of children and casts them as the heros to adults mesmerized and blinded to reality.
The tales are a perfect length to share one or a few for a quick story time or bedtime reading. Or make a cup of tea and snuggle up for a longer cuddle: Once you get to reading and examining the pictures together, your child may not want you to stop! Tip: Don’t shy away from adding plenty of dramatic flair to your reading. These stories were meant to be told aloud. So really listen as you read (put that mental to-do list on hold!) and let yourself get lost in the lyrical magic of the ages. And then let that magic come through in your voice. Your child won’t be able to resist.
Even the brief and beautifully written introduction by Mandela is worth reading aloud. “It is my wish that the voice of the storyteller will never die in Africa, that all the children in the world may experience the wonder of books, and that they will never lose the capacity to enlarge their earthly dwelling place with the magic of stories,” Mandela concludes.
That’s our wish, too.
“Won’t my child learn to read in kindergarten?”
That’s the question on many parents’ lips when faced with advice to teach reading skills to their small children. Sure, children will develop their reading ability in kindergarten and throughout the rest of their education, but the truth is that most of the underlying skills they need for full literacy develop way before then. And, sadly, reading instruction in the U.S. fails most kids.
So don’t wait until they go to kindergarten or even preschool to intentionally impart key early literacy skills your children will need to thrive in formal schooling. The great news is that, with the right information, you don’t need lots of time to teach what they need to know—and it can and should be fun! Even some of the simplest things can help your child develop reading skills early on. (For example, see How to Maximize the Benefits of Reading Aloud to Your Kids for some easy tweaks that will make a big difference.)
This is where educational games come in! There are many fun board games that help teach reading skills—without hours of instruction or practice. We’ve narrowed down the list for you to our top five best literacy-building board games for children five and under. So go ahead and get in some laughs and quality time connecting with your little one (or ones), and help them get kindergarten-ready at the same time! Then consider leaving the games available for your child even when you aren’t: More often than not, kids can play with these titles independently or with another child and still benefit from them.
Teach Reading Skills with these Fun Board Games
Tall Tales is a storytelling game recommended for ages three and up. There’s no reading required in this game, but it helps kids build early literacy skills by fostering imagination and important oral language skills. From a young age, most children understand the wonder of hearing a story and love to make up their own. This game allows them to do so. (Related: See our post on How to Use Storytelling to Build Joy, Connection, and Literacy with Kids.)
Sequence Letters is a letter matching game for kids ages four to seven. One letter of the alphabet is on each card in both uppercase and lowercase, and the child playing matches the letter with the beginning sound of a picture. This is a great way for kids to practice sounding out letters and making connections between images and words.
Boggle is already a well-loved game, and now your young kids under five can join the fun by playing Boggle Jr. It’s a great fit for kids three and up who have already begun learning the letters of the alphabet. There are two levels of play so the game can grow with your child. Younger children can play with the letter cubes and practice matching the letter shapes with the picture word cards. And when your little one is ready for more of a challenge, they can play the second level of the game, which creates opportunities to sound out short, simple words.
Bob Books Happy Hats Board Game
This game is designed for beginning readers ages four and up, and is made by the creators of Bob Books, a series featuring sparse illustrations and simple, decodable words. In our household, we’re currently using Bob Books to teach our preschooler early literacy skills—and they’re the same books I learned to read with when I was a preschooler, as well! This game is highly rated by parents and allows the player to create more than 16o words.
Zingo Word Builder is perfect for kids about five years old, or younger children who have already developed early literacy skills and are ready to learn more. This game allows the player to build vocabulary and reading skills by challenging them to create three-letter words. There are two levels of play for this game, which makes it perfect for beginning readers and more skilled readers, as well.
Designed for kids 4 to 9 years old, This goofy game teaches children to read common words as they compete to be the first kangaroo to get some pizza. What’s really nice about this game is that there are three levels with increasingly difficult words. This means the game can grow with your kids, and it also means that if you have multiple children at different reading levels, they can still play together, each with their own personal set of challenges. Another fun aspect is that the players can compete against one another OR you can play a cooperative mode, where everyone works together. The flexibility and fun is really what puts this game on the list. And, after all, shouldn’t reading be fun?
Over recent years, fidget toys, especially pop fidgets, have become incredibly popular, and you’ve probably seen them everywhere! The Fidget Game cleverly combines the fascination of pop fidgets into the practice of learning high-frequency or “sight” words. The game includes word cards for pre-K to 3rd grade, so you can tailor the game to your child’s specific reading level. You can support your little one’s reading journey while having fun with colorful pop fidgets and spending bonding time together. Your child learns to read, and you both get to enjoy the experience.
If you’re familiar with the best-selling game Bananagrams, you’ll love the small-child version, My First Bananagrams. It has lowercase, color-coded tiles that brilliantly adapt it for little ones, promoting early literacy in a playful manner. The game’s simplicity keeps the kindergarten set engaged, fostering vocabulary and spelling skills about as effortlessly as is possible. The vibrant colors and tactile experience enhance the overall enjoyment. It’s a delightful way to bond with your children while witnessing their language skills blossom. Highly recommended for both educational and family entertainment.
Bonus: If your family enjoys playing board games together, check out our tutorial on making your own personalized DIY alphabet board game!
No matter what stage your child is in when it comes to reading skills, using games as a way to help develop early literacy can be really successful for many children (and lots of fun!).
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