5 Practices of Early Literacy
Narrate events and ideas in your everyday life. This helps your child learn new vocabulary and to use words they know.
- Ages 0-1: Talk to your baby all the time, even if they can’t respond quite yet. Narrate your day. The more words your baby hears, the larger their vocabulary will grow.
- Ages 1-2:Â Encourage repetitive play. Your baby may want to spend 30 minutes moving blocks from one bin to another. They are learning about concepts like gravity and motion - encourage them to repeat these simple tasks over and over.
- Ages 2-3: Introduce new vocabulary while you play. Narrate what you are doing. Use the big words and the small words—as many words as you can.
- Ages 3-5:Â Encourage your preschooler to tell you a story. Try retelling a familiar book, what you did today, or make up a story together. This helps to build a skill called sequencing.
Countdown to the New Year
Dec 30th | 10:00am - 11:00am
Ring in the new year with stories, activities, and a balloon-filled finale! Count down with a storytime, then dance the morning away at…
Holidays on Hoopla: Kwanzaa for Kids (ebooks)
Reflect on culture and community with stories about family and tradition featured in this collection of ebooks for kids on Hoopla.
Holidays on Hoopla: Hanukkah for Kids
Create cherished moments of learning & celebration for children and families alike with this collection of various media on Hoopla!
Holidays on Hoopla: Christmas for Kids
Wrap yourself in the warmth of holiday tales with the Christmas for Kids collection, full of festive stories to make the season merry!
Reading Challenge
1,000 Books Before Kindergarten
Unlock your child's potential with this reading challenge. For ages 0-5.
Suggested Websites
Share family stories.
Talk with your child about what family means to you. Have an older adult tell your child a story from their childhood.
What do you think?
Start a conversation after sharing a book. How did the story make you feel? This helps your child gain a deeper understanding of the story.
Discover new things to do...every day!
Get daily ideas for what to read, watch, sing, and try with your child from the Day By Day Ohio Family Literacy Calendar.
Read & listen to a picture book...with sign language!
Watch free videos of ASL retellings of books for kids. Reading and signing stories together promotes essential literacy skills for all kids.
Annamarie C
Annamarie loves all things Disney! When she's not planning her next storytime, she's likely traveling or volunteering at the Columbus Zoo.
Erin H.
Erin is a Victorian romance girl, through and through.
Katie R.
Katie knows all of the tricks to start your baby on the path to lifelong reading.
Raychelle S.
When she’s not recommending a great fantasy read or planning an author event, she’s likely floating in a kayak or trying a new recipe...
