January
You have been your child’s teacher from the day he or she was born. You know more about your child than anyone else, and you are in the best position to help your child get ready to read. Whether your child is four days old or four years old, it is not too early or too late to help them develop pre-reading skills.
- Draw the numbers 2026 and color them with your child. Talk about the upcoming year.
- Play “Riddle Me.” Take turns offering riddles. I’m white and fluffy and in the sky. I can be gray when it rains. What am I? Yes! Clouds!
- Tell your child about winter weather and how cold it can be in some places. Is your area cold or mild? Share your favorite thing about winter.
- Play or sing a song your child is familiar with and act it out while you are singing or while it is playing.
- Weigh your child and write it here: ______ Save the calendar and measure again in June.
- Compare the covers of 2 books and take turns guessing what each is about.
- With your child write down (and talk about) important dates on a 2026 calendar.
- Create an obstacle course and give your child directions. Go around the chair, go over the book, pick up the spoon, turn around and come back.
- Talk about colors. Ask your child what their favorite color is and share what your favorite color is. Talk about things that are those colors.
- Play a favorite song and have a silly dance contest.
- Measure your child’s height and write it here: _______ Save the calendar and measure again in June.
- Use your finger to follow along with the words in the book as you read to your child today.
- Write these questions and help your child answer them. Then decorate the page. My name is ______. I am ______ years old.
- Play “Follow the Leader.” Do things and ask your child to do the same. Touch your head, Turn around, Sit down, Stand up again!
- Talk about food. Which food do you think is the most delicious? What do you want to eat for dinner?
- Sing or say “Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star.” Twinkle, twinkle, little star / How I wonder what you are / Up above the world so high / Like a diamond in the sky / Twinkle, twinkle, little star / How I wonder what you are
- Sing or say “Five Little Snowmen.” Five little snowmen standing in a row, (Hold up five fingers) / Each had a hat and a big red bow (Put hands on head and then neck) / Out came the sun and stayed all day, (Circle arms overhead) / And one little snowman melted away. (Slump down) / Repeat with 4, 3, 2, 1, until no snowmen are left.
- Be a reading role model. Let your child see you reading a book or magazine.
- Write these questions and help your child answer them. Then decorate the page. My favorite color is _____. My favorite animal is ______.
- Go on a scavenger hunt. Look for things that begin with T. Toys, trees, toes.
- Describe a favorite snack using look, smell, feel, sound, and taste words.
- Make up silly songs about everyday activities. This is the way we brush our teeth, brush our teeth, brush our teeth, to make them very clean!
- Count snacks. How many crackers are there?
- Read a book about winter.
- Take turns using your finger to draw shapes in the air and guessing what the shape is. Circle, square, triangle, heart, diamond, etc.
- Play “I Spy.” Give the first letter of an object as a clue. I spy with my little eye something that begins with…D. Yes, dish!
- Give your child choices. Would you rather wear your white shirt or your purple shirt? Would you rather play with the ball or the blocks?
- Sing or say “Here We Go Round the Mulberry Bush.” Sing the Chorus: / Here we go round the mulberry bush, / the mulberry bush, the mulberry bush; / Here we go round the mulberry bush, / On a cold and frosty morning. / Action verses: Pick an action and sing “This is the way we [action]…” while doing the motion. / Example actions: wash our hands, brush our teeth, button our coats, put on boots, tie our scarves, shovel snow.
- Measure your feet day! Line up all the family’s shoes and boots. Whose are the biggest? The smallest?
- Choose a letter of the day. Point out the letter wherever you see it today.
- Draw large letter on a sheet of paper. Give your child some clay and have them roll it out to trace the letters.
February
How we read to children is as important as how often we read to them. No matter what your child’s age, reading together with your child or shared reading is the single most important activity that you can do to help your child get ready to read. Engage your child in back and forth conversations about the books you read. Children learn more words when they have the opportunity to respond to questions. If English is not your first language, speak to your child in the language you know best. This allows you to explain things to your child more fluently.
- Place writing materials like sticky notes, whiteboards, clipboards, stencils, markers, and different types of paper throughout the house.
- Play the yes-no game! Is the sky purple? Is the cat pink? Is the door closed?
- Ask your child questions that have more than a yes or no answer. What is something fun we did today and what can we do tomorrow?
- Make up songs that involve specific actions, like jumping, spinning, or waving. Sing instructions to guide the movements.
- Clap and count to 10, then clap and count back to 1.
- Pick a book to read together. Stop reading before the end and ask your child, “What do you think will happen?”
- Let your child scribble and draw. Encourage them to “sign” their name on the drawing.
- Go on a scavenger hunt. Look for things that are red like stop signs, blankets, shirts, and socks.
- Sit on the floor and imagine you are going to the moon in a rocket ship. What do you see? There goes a house, there go the clouds, there’s the moon!
- Say or sing “Zoom Zoom Zoom” Zoom Zoom Zoom, / We’re going to the moon (point to the sky) / Zoom Zoom Zoom, / We’re leaving very soon, If you want to take a trip, Climb aboard my rocket ship, / Zoom Zoom Zoom, / We’re going to the moon, (point to the sky) / Zoom Zoom Zoom, / We’re leaving very soon. / 10, 9, 8, 7, 6, 5, 4, 3, 2, 1 Lift off! (children can jump up or lift baby up)
- Count your steps today. From the bedroom to the kitchen. From the front door to the corner and then from there all the way back home.
- Pick a letter of the day. Look for it everywhere today: on license plates, at the grocery store, and in books you are reading together.
- Write a thank-you note with your child. They can draw on the note or sign their name.
- Play musical hearts. Place numbered paper hearts on the floor. Call out numbers for your child to run to.
- Talk about your family’s plans for today. What is your child excited to do or see?
- Sing or say “The More We Get Together.” The more we get together / Together, together / The more we get together / The happier we’ll be / ‘Cause your friends are my friends / And my friends are your friends / The more we get together / The happier we’ll be
- Recite the rhyme, “One, Two, Buckle My Shoe.” One, two; buckle my shoe / Three, four; shut the door. / Five, six; pick up sticks. / Seven, eight; don’t be late. / Nine, ten; do it over again!
- Look at the covers of books before reading them. Talk about what the books might be about.
- Trace shapes and letters in a shallow tray of flour, salt, or baking soda.
- Play musical hearts. Place numbered paper hearts on the floor. Call out numbers for your child to run.
- Introduce a new word to describe how you feel. Say “I am delighted” rather than I am happy.
- Sing a favorite song together. Change the words to make it silly or to incorporate your child’s name.
- Play store. Set up a little store with items in your house and take turns being the shopper and the checkout clerk.
- Point out signs everywhere today. Explain what they say and how they help.
- Make a chart of family preferences. List family member names and their favorite colors, flavors of ice cream, fruit, etc.
- Use masking tape to make lines or shapes on the floor. Walk along the tape like a pretend balance beam.
- Talk about concepts like “on” and “off” when you put on and take off hats and jackets.
- Make music with things you have in the house – pots, pans, spoons – and sing and dance to the music you make.
March
Playing to learn new words. Play is one of the best ways for children to learn language and literacy skills. Play helps children feel a sense of accomplishment and self-confidence. This motivates them to try new experiences and not to give up when something seems difficult. Also, it’s fun!
- Using masking tape, write your child’s name in large letters on the floor. Trace each letter by walking on it or by pushing a toy car.
- Go for a walk outside, see if you can spot the following: A Squirrel; A Car; A Tree; An Airplane
- Play show-and-tell to build speaking confidence. Everyone chooses something they’re interested in and talks about it.
- Sing about what you are doing. This is the way we eat our food, eat our food, eat our food. This is the way we put on our shoes, etc.
- Have your child help you prepare a recipe by helping measure and count cups and spoonfuls.
- Write “Yes” on one sticky note and “No” on another. Ask your child questions and have them hold up the sticky note that matches their answer.
- Make a short shopping list together.
- Pretend you and your child are diving in the ocean. What might you see? Describe the beautiful marine life you see.
- Point to and name body parts. Where is your mouth? Where are your ears? Where are your toes?
- Gather some household items to use as instruments. Have a fun parade marching around the house singing and making music.
- Say or sing “Five Little Froggies.” Five little froggies sat on a shore. (Crouch like a frog) / One went for a swim, then there were four. (Pretend to leap and swim off) / Four little froggies (Crouch like a frog) / Looked out to sea. (Put your hand at brow and look out to sea) / One went swimming, and then there were three. (Pretend to leap and swim off) / Three little froggies said, “What can we do?” / One jumped in the water, then there were two. (Pretend to leap and swim off) / Two little froggies sat in the sun. (Crouch like a frog) / One swam off, and then there was one. (Pretend to leap and swim off) / One little Froggie said “This is no fun!” / He dived in the water, and then there were none!
- Invite your child to help you write an email or text message to a relative. Show how you pick out the letters on the keyboard.
- Line up chairs and pretend to drive a city bus. Take turns driving and being the passenger. Call out the stops!
- Use a block to pretend to talk on the phone. Hand the block to your child and say, “They want to talk to you.”
- Sing or say and act out “Here is the Beehive.” Here is the beehive. (Make a fist) / Where are the bees? / Hiding inside where nobody sees. / Watch them come creeping out of the hive, / One, two, three, four, five (Release one finger at a time from the fist/hive) / BUZZ-ZZZ (Wiggle fingers)
- Use masking tape to measure yourself and your child on the wall. Compare the sizes. Who is taller? Who is shorter.
- Share what you are reading with your child. Read aloud a portion of a magazine, book, or newspaper that you are reading.
- Write a shopping list together. Take it to the store and check off the items as they are selected.
- Pretend to be birds. Flap your wings and whistle and tweet. Talk about your favorite birds.
- Spring is here! Talk about what to expect in Springtime like warmer weather, rain and mud, flowers and trees beginning to blossom.
- Sing and dance “The Hokey Pokey.” You put your right foot in / You take your right foot out. / You put your right foot in / And you shake it all about. / You do the hokey pokey / And you turn yourself around. / That’s what it’s all about. / Repeat with “left foot,” “ right hand,” “left hand,” and “whole self”!
- Make labels for common items in your home.
- Create a writing box together. Include paper and crayons. Decorate the outside and leave it within easy reach of your child.
- Make a tent with sheets and furniture. Pretend you are camping. What do you see? What do you hear?
- Have your child “interview” family members or friends with fun questions. This encourages them to ask questions and listen actively.
- Sing the ABCs. Slow once, fast once.
- Collect a variety of rocks and pebbles. Write numbers on each. Help your child put them in order.
- Take turns telling stories.
- Draw and decorate the alphabet together.
- Build block towers, counting the blocks while you build.
- Show your child a selection of books. Ask which they’d like to read first, second, etc.
April
Talking is one of the best ways for children to learn new words. Speak to your child often during the day and try to use many different words to express your ideas. Children love to imitate, and they will try to imitate your speech. Chances to chat include while you are getting dressed in the morning, eating breakfast, riding in the car, walking from the car to a store, playing together, doing chores, taking a bath, going to bed, and while saying goodnight. Ask lots of open-ended questions, those that require more than a yes or no answer.
- Take a walk outside together. When you return home, work together to draw the story of your walk. What did you see?
- Take turns pretending to be a variety of animals. Bark and wag your tail like a dog. Wriggle like a snake. Be a bird flapping its wings.
- Say a favorite nursery rhyme, but change an important word to something silly. Hickory Dickory Dock, the mouse ran up the tree…
- Has it been raining a lot? Sing “Rain, Rain, Go Away.” Rain, Rain / Go Away; / Come again / Another day; / Little [child’s name] / Wants to play
- Find 1 spoon, 2 socks, and 3 books.
- Visit the library (in person or online) and check out books about spring.
- Create a piece of art. Look at the sky and draw clouds. Be sure to sign your name!
- Play Follow the Leader. One person (the leader) performs actions the others must follow. Take turns being the leader.
- Go on a nature walk and look for items that start with different letters of the alphabet. For example, “F is for flower, T is for tree.”
- Sing “Row, Row, Row Your Boat” during bath time. Row, row, row your boat / Gently down the stream / Merrily merrily, merrily, merrily / Life is but a dream
- Cut a piece of toast in half. Say “Now we have two pieces the same size.”
- Help your child stack blocks as high as you can. Count each block as you add it. How many can you stack before it tumbles over?
- Make a dot painting with cotton swabs and paint to help develop fine motor skills.
- Cut out large shapes – a square, a triangle, a circle – and place them on the floor. Take turns telling which shapes to step on.
- Talk about your day and their day. (I’m making breakfast. You’re playing with blocks. We’re getting ready to go out.
- Sing “I Hear Thunder” to the tune of “Frère Jacques.” I hear thunder, I hear thunder. (Pounds hands gently on floor or lap) / Listen, don’t you? Listen, don’t you? (Cup hand to ear) / Pitter, patter raindrops; Pitter, patter raindrops; (Wiggle fingers in falling motion in front of face) / I’m wet through (Shake body) / So are you!
- Draw a chalk grid with numbers and have the child jump to the numbers you call out.
- Teach letter sounds by playing “I Spy.” (I spy with my little eye something that begins with S. Yes! A spoon!)
- Label the room. Sticky-note three to five objects.
- Go on a circle hunt! Make a list of all the circle-shaped items you find today.
- Choose a word of the day. Write the word down together. Use the word several times during the course of the day.
- Make up a song about something that is familiar or interesting to your child.
- Count in nature. How many birds, rocks, flowers, trees do you see?
- Place pieces of paper with big letters written on them around the room. Help your child find them. Where’s the letter A? On the chair!
- Celebrate Día del Niño at Be My Neighbor Day!
- Make paper bag puppets and play with them. Introduce them to each other. Paper Bag Puppets You will need: Crayons or markers; small paper bags, like lunch bags; yarn or ribbon; glue stick. Directions: 1) Use your crayons and markers to create a face on the bottom of your paper bag. 2) Use glue and yarn or ribbon to make hair. You can also draw your puppet’s hair. 3) Color in the bottom part of your puppet to make clothes. 4) Put your hand inside the bag and put on a puppet show.
- Go on a listening walk. Listen for birds, the wind, traffic, and point them out. At the end of your walk talk about what you heard.
- Make up melodies to go with everyday activities, like getting dressed or cleaning up. Use familiar tunes and add new lyrics.
- Line up the family from shortest to tallest. From tallest to shortest. From oldest to youngest. From youngest to oldest.
- Help your child notice words throughout the day. Point out street signs, words on food cartons, billboards, and more.