Before You Hit the Road

Like many families, you many be planning to get away from home this summer. Maybe you will a visit a place that is new or a familiar place that you return to each year. Whether you are venturing to a faraway city or just packing up for a weekend to visit relatives you see each summer, do some research with your child about your destination. Your preschooler can become an expert before she leaves home. It helps to build her excitement and imagination. Check the library for some appropriate books. Read together about specific locations or types of environments. Look for books about lakes, beaches, big trees, urban centers, or mountains. Then on your trip, talk about what you see. (“Do those sailboats boats look the ones in our book? How are they alike? How are they different?”, “How does that skyscraper seem like the one we saw in our book about the city?”) It will be interesting for your preschooler to compare and contrast the sights she imagined with the ones she experiences.

Getting Silly With It

Have some fun with words and sounds. Point to a picture of a mouse and say, “Look at that house!” or “That dog is wagging her sail.” As your child corrects you and starts giggling in the process, you can share some silliness. See how many other words--real or made-up--your preschooler can come with (nail, pail, zail . . .). Besides having fun, she will be hearing and playing with individual sounds, which will play an important role when she learns to read.

Virtual Storyteller

Some preschoolers get so deeply involved in routines that any disruption can be problematic. For example, say your child insists on falling asleep listening to the same books every night--read by you. This little routine can put a crimp in your lifestyle if you have any thoughts of going out before his bedtime! If you think your preschooler would be comforted by the familiar sound of your voice reading his favorite book, consider making a recording of you reading it (and perhaps your preschooler chiming in). Then his babysitter can play the recording and he can ease himself peacefully into his sweet dreams.

A Little TLC

Teach your preschooler to care for her books and treat them with respect. Model how to take care of books by closing them properly--not open and face-down. Show your child how easy it is to mark your place with a bookmark, and how to carefully turn a page. That being said . . . many well-loved books will show signs of wear. If your child has tugged too enthusiastically at a pop-up tab or ripped a page in the act of turning it to find out what happens on the next page, don't worry. Mend the book and move on. That’s why clear tape was invented. In years to come, when you and your child revisit her favorite childhood books, the mended pages will be a sweet reminder of time spent reading together.

Spring Cleaning

As you drive or walk by yard, garage, or sidewalk sales, be on the lookout for tables of children’s books. Many people empty their shelves of toys and books as their children outgrow them. Buying secondhand books can be an inexpensive way to build your child’s library. On the flip side, if you have books that your children have outgrown or you want to pass along, give them to friends, libraries, hospitals, schools, day care centers, and so on. Share those books!

It’s Children’s Book Week

The Children’s Book Council (CBC) is celebrating Children's Book Week May 10 to 16. The CBC is a nonprofit organization. It is the only trade association devoted exclusively to the publishers of books for children. The CBC partners with other literacy organizations and sponsors many events to encourage children and teens to read. Check out the CBC site for some lists of books and other resources to help you find wonderful books for your children. (http://www.cbcbooks.org.) And while you are at it, why not make every week the best week to read to your children?

Talking Titles

Right after finishing a book, ask your preschooler why he thinks the author chose that particular name for the book. You might ask, “Do you think Corduroy is a good name for this book? Why or why not?” Have your child try to explain his opinion. You can ask questions to help him think about the reasons. For example, you could say, “Lisa is the girl in the book. Why do you think the author didn’t name this book Lisa?” Then ask your preschooler, “Can you think of another title that would be good for this book?” Have some fun together, coming up with some alternative titles.