Raising Children in a Literature-Rich Environment

One of the ways to raise a reader is to immerse them in a literature-rich environment. Experts agree that babies raised in households with talkative family members have a larger vocabulary than those in a quiet home.

You can also create print-rich surroundings to helps develop their literacy skills. You can do this in a variety of ways:

• Fill your home with books. Keep simple and colorful board books for children available on lower shelves for easy access. And be sure to take time each day to snuggle up together for a good read-aloud.

• Place labels on objects around your home. Even before they can read, children will learn to associate certain words with particular items.

• Hang posters and alphabet cards on your walls. Our sister site, MommyMaestra.com, has an excellent giveaway going on right now for a beautiful Compassion poster from the Spanish Global Child Collection by Children Inspire Design. Just because it is printed wall art, doesn't mean it isn't beautiful.

• Keep simple, but educational, toys (like the Spanish alphabet blocks pictured above) in baskets on the floor for your child to play with at any time.