Pre-K: Getting Ready to Read and Write
Parents, caregivers, and preschool staff play a critical role in preparing young children for school and life success. In addition to a warm and nurturing environment, the adults in children’s lives should also focus on the building blocks of reading and writing.
This overview is designed to walk you through key pre-reading building blocks, including sounds, oral language, print awareness, and letters. Within each section, you’ll find easy to read and use resources for learning more, and for trying some activities within your setting. Short videos bring concepts to life, booklists provide ideas for extension, and we provide guidance about when to have concerns about a child’s development.
Creating literacy-rich environments
There’s no doubt that building skills in a few areas during the preschool years can make a huge difference when a child enters school. Browse through to learn more about helping preschool children learn about sounds, print, letters, and words. Finally, learn how to choose and read children’s books that will help you enjoy reading together for years to come.
Learn about each of these key areas
Sounds in speech
Babies, toddlers, and preschoolers can learn to have fun with sounds! Figuring out words that rhyme, coming up with words that share a beginning sound, and saying silly words all help build a child’s phonological awareness; that is, the ability to notice, think about, and play with sounds in words. These skills will be used every time your child reads and writes!
Fun with Phonemes
One family in Raleigh, North Carolina, shows how playing word and rhyming games puts their child on the road to reading success.
More Video
Learn More
- Phonemic Awareness: An Introduction
- Why Phonological Awareness Is Important for Reading and Spelling
- Preschool Language and Literacy Practices
- The Development of Phonological Skills
Try It!
- Phonological Awareness Activities for Pre-K
- Phonemic Activities for the Preschool or Elementary Classroom
- Speech Sounds: Suggested Activities
- Playing with Word Sounds: Stretch and Shorten
- Tips for Teaching Your Child About Phonemes
Children's Books to Read Aloud
If You Have Concerns
Print awareness
Print awareness is understanding that print is organized in a particular way — for example, knowing that print is read from left to right and top to bottom. It is knowing that words consist of letters and that spaces appear between words. Print awareness is a child's earliest introduction to literacy.
Becoming Aware of Print
Mira is two-and-a-half years old. Watch how Mira's parents help her become aware of print.
More Video
Learn More
- Print Awareness: An Introduction
- Learning to Read and Write: What Research Reveals
- Concept of Word Games
Try It!
- Print Awareness Activities for Pre-K
- Print Awareness During Read Alouds
- Print Awareness: Guidelines for Instruction
- Environmental Print
Educational Apps
Children's Books to Read Aloud
If You Have Concerns
Letters and the alphabetic principle
One strong predictor of success in reading is a child’s familiarity with the letters of the alphabet. This includes knowing a letter’s name, shape and sound. Most good alphabet activities help kids get practice in each area.
The Alphabetic Principle
In Houston, the teacher of an advanced kindergarten class connects letters and sounds in a systematic and explicit way.
The Importance of the Alphabetic Principle
Renowned reading researcher Dr. Louisa Moats explains the need for understanding the alphabetic principle.
Learn More
- Nurturing Oral Language Skills
- How to Raise Verbal Children
- Meaningful Differences in the Everyday Experience of Young American Children
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- Oral Language Comprehension Activities for Pre-K
- Vocabulary Activities for Pre-K
- Oral Language: Expanding Your Child's Vocabulary
- Building Your Child's Vocabulary
- Talking and Listening: Practical Ideas for Parents
Educational Apps
Children's Books to Read Aloud
If You Have Concerns
Reading together
Sharing books with your child can be among the most special moments of the day. These moments with books teach your child many reading readiness skills. Our resources in this section describe the why's and how's of reading with even the youngest child.
House Calls for Literacy
Watch as an early literacy educator visits a family at home to demonstrate and support interactive readalouds.
More Video
Learn More
- A Fresh Look at Your Home Library
- A Quick Guide to Selecting Great Informational Books for Young Children
- Dialogic Reading: An Effective Way to Read to Preschoolers
Try It!
- Reading Tips for Parents of Babies
- Reading Tips for Parents of Toddlers
- How to Read With a Squiggly Baby (or Toddler!)
- Reading Together: Tips for Parents of Children with ADHD
Children's Books to Read Aloud
If You Have Concerns
Writing
Children, even our youngest learners, enjoy putting crayon to paper. What often starts as scribbling ends up being important clues to a child’s understanding that print carries meaning. Four-year olds often enjoy “writing” their name and other special words like Mom, Dad, love, and you. Helping your child develop writing readiness skills includes making the most out of everyday writing and providing lots of opportunity to practice!
First Marks
Writing expert Dr. Jane Hansen describes how powerful it is for very young children to realize that they can communicate through oral language — and by making "marks" on a piece of paper.
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Learn More
Try It!
- Developing Writing and Spelling at Home: Pre-K
- Grocery Store Literacy for Preschoolers
- Pre-K Writing Activities
Children's Books to Read Aloud
Educational Apps
If You Have Concerns
Developmental milestones
Find out what language accomplishments are typical for most children from birth to age three. If you have questions or concerns about your child's progress, talk with your child's doctor, teacher, or a speech and language therapist. For children with any kind of disability or learning problem, the sooner they can get the special help they need, the easier it will be for them to learn.
More Video
Learn More
- PreK: Literacy Milestones
- Young Children's Development: What to Expect
- Is My Child Ready for Kindergarten?
Try It!
If You Have Concerns
Having fun with words
This brief Parenting Minute video from WNET talks about how parents and caregivers can help build their children’s language skills through storytelling, talking, singing, playing rhyming games, as well as by pointing out and discussing things throughout the day. (Video also available in Spanish, Bengali, and Chinese)