Reading stories to children helps them become interested in books, and eager to learn to read, themselves.

They learn important things from having stories read to them, and they love the time you spend together.

Show your child that there are things to be read everyplace.

• that words and ideas can be written down
• that marks on paper stand for the words we use, and the sounds we make
• and that these are written down using "letters."

Whether you read stories to children, or tell them your own, there are some ways to do it that make it even more fun, and teach them even more. For example, you can get your child involved in the story.

While you're reading the story to your child, stop and ask your child...
    why something happened,
    how it would feel if that happened, and
    what she thinks will happen next.

Sometimes parents try to teach their children to read and even write some letters of the alphabet before they go to Kindergarten. That can be fun, if your child is eager to learn it, or it can be hard on both of you, and it's not really necessary.

Most teachers don't expect parents to do this. Teachers expect to teach children to write in school.