Finally, your child can read. For parent, teacher and child, the process of learning to read, of understanding sounds and knowing the alphabet is a pivotal and exciting one. The process is pivotal as it is the foundation for a lifetime of reading, writing and understanding. The ability to read and write provides the foundation for communication and interpreting the world around is.

The process is also an exciting one, simply because it is such a critical milestone in a child’s development. The process is one to be enjoyed, it should be fun and it should be a journey of discovery.

Here are some ways that you can foster your child’s abilities when it comes to reading and writing:

1. Talk to your child. This may seem quite rudimentary, but in this day and age where we have an almost constant information overload, it is important to switch off cellphones and screens and talk. Have a conversation with your child. Ask her questions and prompt her to ask you things too.
2. Give your child writing tasks. Give him a pen and a piece of paper and ask him to write down what happened during the best or the worst part of his day. Just a few sentences will do. The exercise is aimed at helping your child organise his thoughts and express them in a way that makes sense to others.
3. Put aside time to read with your child. Even if this is a few minutes each day, but try to read with your child, either at bedtime or during bath time when you have their attention.
4. Make sure that the books you buy for your child are age appropriate and that your child can read the book with ease. If your child stumbles on too many words, then chances are the book is too difficult for her and this will cause her to be frustrated. Rather let her read something that is easy for her to read so that she enjoys the story. She has her whole life to read difficult books.
5. Ensure that he has access to a large variety of books. Take her to the library every two weeks and let her choose her own books. She will love you for it!

LeapFrog has a range of literacy products that can help your child learn the basics of sounds, language, and the alphabet. For more information go to www.PrimaToys.co.za