Read
Read age appropriate books to your child. Talk about the illustrations. The more you talk, the more vocabulary you are introducing to your child. As your child gets older, have him/her talk about the illustrations.
Before reading a book, look at the cover and predict what the story is about (as your child grows older, he/she can predict). After reading the story, see if your guess was correct.
Read in a variety of places, in a homemade tent or fort, outside, on the couch, in your child's bedroom, or while waiting at the doctors.
As you read, give each character a different voice. Read books with a silly voice as you read to your child.
Read nursery rhymes with your child. Children who know 5 nursery rhymes by the time they are 4 grow up to be great readers. Sing songs and play games with nursery rhymes to help your child learn them.
As you read more familiar rhyming books to your child, pause at the end of sentences and allow your child to say the word.
Read a nonfiction book and discuss the illustrations.
Read a book without words and make up a story. As your child grows older, he/she can make up the story with you or instead of you.
Act out a story with stuffed animals a puppets. As your child grows older, he/she can act out the stories with you (with or without the puppets).
As you read books, do things that are mentioned in the book. For example, eat cookies while reading, "If You Give A Mouse A Cookie" or eat fruit while eating "The Very Hungry Caterpillar."
