Ever wondered how to encourage reading at home? It's easy, model, model, model! Children are natural copycats and we often see them mimicking the behavior they see their caregivers do – talking on the phone, cooking dinner, changing the baby, and so on. Reading works the same way. As children are read to and see the adults in their lives reading, they will be more inclined to read too!

• Read a child’s favorite book over and over.

• Read many stories with rhyme and phrases that are repeated over and over. This builds phonological awareness, the ability to hear and understand spoken language, which is the foundation for reading success!

• When reading a book where the print is large, point to each word as you read. This one to one tracking models that reading goes from left to right and top to bottom of a page. It helps children connect what is said to what is written.

• Use pictures to talk about what is happening in the story. Periodically stop and ask the child to predict (What do you think is going to happen?) or ask “Has this ever happened to you?” Questions help children make sense of what is being read and connect books to their world.

• Discuss new words. Studies have shown that children with larger vocabularies do better in school. Children use words they hear in conversation to make sense of words they hear/see in print.

• Most importantly, invite a child to read with you everyday. Set aside a time when you can sit together and cuddle while enjoying a good book. This can be first thing in the morning or before bed. It can be after school as so many children need some downtime after a busy day of learning. Consider carrying a couple of books in a backpack in the car or diaper bag. Books are an easy way to distract children while waiting in line at the grocery store or at the doctor’s office. Whenever it is, know these simple moments together build a lifetime of closeness and a fondness for reading.