o Read to your child. o Listen to your child read. o Play games with your child. o Help your child get a library card from the public library nearest you. Encourage your child to go to the library as often as possible. o Go to the library with your child. Help him or her pick out interesting books to read. o Find out about activities for children that take place at your library. o Talk to your child about subjects that are interesting to him or her. o Listen to your child. o Set aside a special "reading time." Let your child know that you look forward to and enjoy your time together. o Give your child his or her own place to keep books. o Write notes to your child. o Help your child write letters and notes. o Encourage your child to keep a scrapbook about a subject that interests him or her: stamps, dogs, birds, trucks, etc. o Limit your child's television watching-select certain shows to watch. Turn the television set on for the show and turn it off immediately after the show is over. o Read and discuss your child's schoolwork. o Provide materials such as crayons, art paper and paints for creative projects. o Give your child a calendar so he or she can write down special events and mark off each day. o Help your child make a telephone directory with the names and phone numbers of his or her friends. o Ask your child to add a sentence or two to letters you write to far-away relatives. (Young children can dictate a sentence for you to write.) o Give your child specific duties to perform on a regular basis at home. o Let your child help you prepare dinner. o Subscribe to a children's magazine (in the child's name). o Bring books for your child to read in the car while he or she waits for you to run errands. o Look up words in the dictionary with your child. o Encourage your child to start a collection of rocks, stamps, etc. o Encourage your child to show his or her schoolwork to your relatives and friends. o When traveling, read road signs with your child. Discuss what they mean. o Show your child how to use a yardstick, ruler and tape measure for measuring objects around the house. o Provide counting experiences for your child. o Show your child how to count change. o Give your child a special place (box, dish pan, etc.) to keep items he or she must take to school each morning. (This ends last-minute searching for library books, papers, bike keys, etc., all of which can cause your child to be late for school.) o Show your child how to tell time. |
