Learning is such an important part of everyone’s life. Kids begin absorbing information at a very early age, making every conversation an opportunity for an educational moment between you and your child.

The School Readiness Kits from Valley of the Sun United Way provide tips and tools for turning day to day tasks, like dinner or going for a walk in your local park or neighborhood, into lessons for your toddler that will help prepare them for school. The kits also include books to build up a home library for kids to practice reading.

When parents and kids do these activities together and read together, it sets them up for success. Children who are read to 3 times or more a week are better life-long readers and 93% of Arizona educators agree that providing year-round access to books at home is an important piece to enhancing student achievement.

Quick Reading Tips

To build your child’s reading skills, follow these tips for reading success:

• Set a reading routine! By keeping a certain time to read with your child, they will learn to expect reading time to happen and become excited, making it a special time for both of you.
• Make reading a conversation! Help your child think about the story by asking what they think it would be about based on the cover, what they think about what is going on in the story, what they would have done differently from the characters, and other engaging questions.
• Don’t stop at reading, write it out! Writing is another good tool for helping kids sound words out which will make it easier for them to read.
• Create a special reading space! With just a chair and some pillows along with a basket or bookcase filled with books, you can make a comfortable space that makes it fun for your kid to relax and read to their stuffed animals or other toys book after book.

Learn more about School Readiness Kits and get more tips on preparing your child for kindergarten today!

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