Resource Library
Conversation guides, tip sheets, posters, and more — browse our selection of resources for your early literacy needs.
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Adjusting how you engage a child with a book based on their age, keeps them interested and learning! Canada Animals by Paul Covello is full of great pictures for lots of ages. If a child is….. 0 to 12 months: Name and point to pictures. “Goose! Nest! Grass! Lake! Clouds! 12 months to 2 years:…
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Babies notice faces before they notice other types of objects. This is why they love games like peek-a-boo and looking at themselves in mirrors. Babies also love seeing pictures of real faces in printed photographs and books!
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Science tells us that babies’ brains notice race in the very early months of life. Preschoolers have lots of questions about the people they see around them as they shape their view of the world. One of the best ways for children to learn about diversity is through books.
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EnglishTip
Even if a book is in a language you don’t speak, you can still cuddle up and share it with your little one!
1-5 minutesSharing books with children is a great way for them to hear lots of words. And you don’t even have to be able to speak or read the language that the book is written in. Choose any book, cuddle up with your child and look at the pictures together. You can talk about what you…
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EnglishTip
Little ones love book sharing when the adult is being playful and having fun!
1-5 minutesWhen reading books aloud to children, try using different voices, adding actions, singing parts of the book, and talking about words that rhyme! Here’s an idea. In the book, Chicka Chicka Boom Boom it says: “Chicka chicka boom boom, will there be enough room?” The adult can say: “Boom and room sound the same at…
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EnglishTip
Snuggle, kiss, tickle and playfully touch your little one when sharing books together!
1-5 minutesWhen cuddling up and sharing a book with your little one, be physically affectionate and playful. You can even relate your own actions to the book. For example, point out body parts on characters in the book and touch or tickle your little ones. “Here are his knees. Here are yours!” “He gets a kiss…
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EnglishTip
Ask questions about books
Pre-school children are often full of questions! Did you know that it’s just as important to ask them questions too? For example, when reading aloud with them, ask your children about what they see in the book: “What do you think they are playing with on this page?” You can even ask questions about the…
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Wordless picture books are told entirely through their illustrations — they are books without words, or sometimes just a few words. Creating your own stories with any book can create opportunities for literacy-rich conversations. It can build vocabulary, story sequencing and imagination!
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Pre-school children are often full of questions! Did you know that it’s just as important to ask them questions too? When reading books with actions words, try acting out the actions to make the book interactive for the child. For example, when you read “clap your hands if you are happy”, clap your hands! When…
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Repetition isn’t just for fun – it can also help children process what they read, hear, or do! For example, re-reading a book can help a child remember words that were previously new to their vocabulary. It can also help solidify their understanding of how to use these words. And if they’re trying to understand…