Reading Checklist for 3 Year Olds

I read with my child every day, even if it’s only for a few minutes.

• I encourage my child to bring his favorite books to me so that we can read together.
• I point to pictures and name them out loud, and encourage my child to point to pictures while we read.
• I watch to see if my child sometimes makes eye contact with me when I read aloud. That tells me she is paying attention to me and the story.
• I talk with my child throughout the day about things we are doing and things that are happening around us.
• I try to be patient when my child wants to read the same book over and over again.
• I encourage my child to “play” with books—pick them up, flip them from front to back, and turn the pages.
• Sometimes I listen when my child “pretends” to read a book—he holds the book, goes from page to page, and says words, even though they’re not the words on the page.
• I give my child paper and crayons so she can scribble, make pictures, and pretend to write.

From Teach Them to Read by the National Institute for Literacy