What is Early Literacy?

Early literacy refers to the skills children need in order to learn how to read and write. Caregivers are essential in this process because they are a child's first and best teacher! Reading to a child is one of the best ways to develop vocabulary, language comprehension, and a lifelong love of reading. Some early literacy skills include:

Oral Language - listening, speaking and communication (includes body language, facial expressions, and gestures)
Print Awareness - understanding that print has meaning
Letter Knowledge - recognizing letters
Vocabulary - recognizing words and knowing their meaning
Phonological Awareness - ability to hear and play with the smaller sounds in words
Background Knowledge - knowledge about the world and story structure

How to Build Early Literacy Skills

Starting at birth, caregivers can work with the children in their lives to build the foundational early literacy skills needed to later learn how to read and write. There are five main practices caregivers can do with children to build early literacy skills:

Talk - children learn language by listening to conversation
Read - develop vocabulary, leanguage comprehension, background knowledge, and nurture a love of reading
Sing - singing slows down language and lets children explore sounds
Write - understanding that print has meaning and strengthening fine motor skills
Play - thinking symbolically and putting thoughts into play

Ways the Parma Library Can Support Early Literacy Learning

1,000 Books Before Kindergarten

Sign up at the circulation desk today and receive a tote bag! Set a goal to read 1,000 books with your child before kindergarten. Your child will get a free book with every 100 books they read. Your child's name will go up on our 1,000 Books Before Kindergarten wall and they can watch their star move with each 100 books they read!

Storytimes & Open Play

Storytimes build and strengthen early literacy skills while providing a fun environment for caregivers and children to play together! No registration necessary, just drop in for one of our storytimes or open play sessions:

Baby Storytime - Tuesdays @ 10:30am
All Ages Storytime - Wednesdays @ 10:30am
Pre-K Skills - Wednesdays @ 11:00am
Toddler Play Time - Last Monday of the month @ 10:00am

At-Home Storytime Kits

Check out an At-Home Storytime Kit which includes books, activities, songs, and a suggested outline for caregivers. If you can't attend a storytime at the libray, you can check this out to make your own at home! All kits are designed to practice early literacy skills by reading, talking, singing, writing, and playing!

Available NOW in the children's area!

Topics include: 123s, ABCs, Babytime, Bedtime, Colors, Dinosaurs, Farm, Feelings, Movement, Opposites, Pets, Shapes, Silly, & Things That Go

Early Literacy Resources for Caregivers

Developmental Milestones - the Center for Disease Control's breakdown of what milestones your child should be making from birth to age 5
Get Ready to Read! - information on early literacy from the National Center for Learning Disabilities
MCLS Talking is Teaching - tips for caregivers about how to strengthen early literacy skills
PBS KIDS for Parents - view literacy milestones from age 2 to 8 and explore tips to help encourage reading in children
Reading Rockets - a breakdown of how children learn to read and how caregivers can support them in the process
NYSED Tips for Families - a resources list for families from the New York State Education Department
New York State Library General Early Literacy Resources - list of reading resources from New York State Library

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