Archived: Dear Family Member

A r c h i v e d I n f o r m a t i o n

America Reads Challenge: Ready*Set*Read for Families - April 1997

Dear Family Member:

Welcome to READY*SET*READ, an AMERICA READS CHALLENGE booklet that is filled with activities and ideas that you can use to help your young children learn about language. Families* are their children's first teachers. As a family member you begin teaching your babies about language as you welcome them into the world with smiles and caring words. You respond to your children's coos, babbles, early words, and simple sentences. By the time your children are preschoolers, they know a lot about language. You have spent many hours listening, talking, reading, and writing with them.

Most of the activities in READY*SET*READ are simple to do with materials found in your home or at the library. The activities can be added to your life at home as you and your children play, work, and grow together.

The activities are presented for four age groups:

Young Babies (Birth to 8 months)
Crawlers and Walkers (8 to 18 months)
Toddlers (18 to 36 months)
Preschoolers (3 to 5 years)

The ideas for one age group may also work for a younger or older child. Using what you know about your child's skills and interests can help you decide which activities to use. You can read the section for one age group now and save the others for later

Children learn about language when their families:
Listen and talk with their children a lot
Read out loud to their children every day
Keep reading and writing materials where children can reach them on their own
Show children how they use reading and writing to learn, have fun, and get jobs done

Many children are early readers because they have learned from their families that reading and writing are worthwhile and useful activities.

On the next page are some simple tips to help you teach your young children about listening, speaking, reading, and writing. These basic, daily activities can make a difference in your child's language growth.

* In this booklet, "families" refers to all of the adults who have nurthuring relationships with a child--a mother, father, grandparent, other relative, or close friend.

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[Acknowledgments]

[Tips for Families as Their Children's First Teacher]