Caregiver Messages about Early Literacy
- Five Practices handouts (in six languages)
- Supporting the Five Practices in Storytime
- Reading Rockets: Info and tips for educators and for families. Handouts for families with little ones from birth to three in English and Spanish. Handouts for preschool and older in eleven languages. Also contains booklists, info on kindergarten readiness, special needs, podcasts, and literacy apps.
- Colorin Colorado: A bilingual site for families and educators of English language learners. Reading tips handouts in eleven languages. Tips for families to use at home to help children succeed in school.
- Zero to Three: Many parenting topics on supporting development in language, literacy and learning for babies and young children. Free parent/family brochures and guides on children's development at each age.
- Early Words: Resources for educators, caregivers and families about young children's literacy development. Curriculum about language and literacy in babies, toddlers and preschoolers.
- Colorado Libraries for Early Literacy: Info on the 5 practices and using them in storytime. Picture book and activity ideas.
Kindergarten Readiness
Reading Rockets: Two different sections of tips and information.
- Reading tips for parents of kindergarteners. Scroll down for Pdfs in more languages.
- Pre-K: Getting Ready to Read and Write.
Ready to Read: Tips for parents, transitioning to kindergarten toolkit, early literacy games, early literacy webinars, early literacy games, early literacy activities.
Education.com/Articles/Kindergarten. Kindergarten education, parenting articles, readiness skills for kindergarten, storytime strategies to boost early literacy.
Colorin Colorado: Bilingual Spanish/English site.
- Family info on the gift of two languages, contains a link to Becoming Bilingual, a PBS program that examines the challenges of teaching children to read in a new language. Encourage learning at home, talking with your child's teacher.
- Tip sheets in eleven languages.
Family Education: Back to School. Kindergarten readiness checklist for families, plus an app to download for an interactive checklist of essential skills to help prepare children for early math and literacy, cognitive development, self-care, motor skills, communication and social skills.
Early Brain Development
Zero to Three: Tips and tools on brain development, interactive baby brain map.
Reading Rockets: What happens when neuroscience meets Dr. Seuss? Film clip on the early brain, articles about the brain and learning.
Center for the Developing Child at Harvard University. Current information and studies on key concepts, such as the architecture of the brain, the 'serve and return' of healthy interactions, toxic stress and its effects and executive function of the young brain. Info from the Scientific Council on the Developing Child, National Forum on Early Childhood Policy and Programs, Global Children's Initiative, and more.
Developed by the Special Audiences Action Team with the assistance of the Every Child Initiative.