There are several games and techniques you can use as a parent to lay the groundwork to expand your child’s reading skills. Utlilize any of these when you’re sharing a quiet moment with your child in the grocery store line, at the kitchen counter, or driving around town.

THE SOUND GAME
Recognizing the first sound of a word helps the child understand words are made of different sounds. Choose a familiar word, like banana or dog. Repeat the first sound with the word, "buh-buh-banana." Then ask him to think of other words that start with “buh.” Make sure to repeat the sound of the letter (buh),not the name of the letter (bee). You may point out middle and ending sound in the same way.

"I SPY" WITH SOUNDS
A fun variation on the sound game, parent or child initiates "I Spy" with the phrase, "I spy with my own eye, something that starts with "tuh.'" Then the guessing starts: "tree?," "truck?," "tomato?"

ALPHABET PICTURE CARDS
Learning the first sound a word makes goes hand in hand with associating that sound with the letter itself. Alphabet Picture Cards simply have an object on one side and the letter that goes with that object on the other. Next to making this fun rather than a drill, the most important thing to remember about this activity is to teach the sound each letter makes, not the name of the letter. When "A" begins a word, it is usually pronounced "ah." "G" is usually "guh," which is why the image is a goat and not a giraffe. WIth images on the backs of the cards, children can guess the sound of the letter and confirm or self-correct by saying what the picture is.

READING TO YOUR CHILD
Reading to your child develops their natural focus and reading comprehension. Besides the quiet enjoyment of listening to a story, he is exposed to a wide variety of words and concepts. It spontaneously builds his curiosity, attention, and vocabulary.

WHEN YOU SPEAK
When you speak to and with your child, broaden your own vocabulary. Throw out the word "automobile" next time you "hop" into the car. Try "stupendous" instead of "great" or "supper" instead of "dinner." You’re words don't need to be complicated or long or old-fashioned, to be meaningful; just try a few new ones and watch his facility with language grow.