Your Child Will Learn
To enjoy reading familiar books with adults.
Here’s What to Do
- Choose one of your child’s favorite books, ideally one with repeating phrases.
- Prompt your child to join you when you read the repetitive phrases on each page.
- Leave words out of the sentences as you read, and invite your child to fill in the missing words.
- Continue reading the same book every night this week. As they become more familiar, let them “read” more of the words themselves.
Put PEER Into Action
PAUSE
- Settle into your favorite reading place with your child. Sit close and listen to the sounds of each other’s breathing in and out.
ENGAGE
- “I need your help reading this book! I’m going to leave out some parts and you can help me say the words.”
- Read the beginning phrase and let your child fill in the rest. (example: you read “Brown Bear, Brown Bear, What do you see?” and your child completes “I see a yellow duck looking at me.”)
ENCOURAGE
- Focus on having fun and enjoying the story, rather than making sure your child says the correct missing words.
- If your child is having a hard time remembering whole sentences, try leaving out just one word as you read aloud and let them fill it in.
REFLECT
- “What do you like about this book?”
Not Quite Ready
Encourage your child to choose their favorite books for story time.
Ready for More
Head to a library, encourage your child to pick books they think they’ll like reading based on their interests.
As Your Child Masters This Skill
They will enjoy reading a favorite picture book with an adult.
Time to Complete
10 minutes
Materials Needed
One of your child’s favorite books, especially one with repeating phrases