Reading Aloud

When kids sit next to a caring adult and hear engaging stories, they develop positive associations with books. Reading aloud to your child strengthens the part of their brain associated with visual imagery, the ability to understand stories and word meaning. When you read to your four-year-old, they pick up on important book smarts, like how to hold a book, which direction to turn the pages, what an author is and where to find the title. These skills are called "concepts about print," and they help kids prepare to be successful independent readers.