Milestones of Early Literacy - Bucks County Preschool

If you have a child or even if you’re just thinking about having a child, it’s great to research some of the facts related to early literacy. Nowadays, parents are doing whatever they can to see that their child gets a jump-start on reading, and while this may or may not have its benefits, it still remains true that early literacy milestones are important markers to gauge your child’s success and happiness as a life-long learner. At Right Steps ® Education, we know that developing a love for reading is important, and we do whatever we can to see that the children in our program develop an early appreciation for literature.

One of the best ways to measure early literacy milestones is by keeping a chart of the various ages and expected goals for a child of a particular age. For example, most parents that have a child under the age of six months soon discover that this age is not appropriate for books with too many sentences. What’s perfect for this age group, however, is a book that you can read to give your little one a taste for language. A quick online search will reveal thousands of amazing board books for children under six months. Have fun during this exploratory period.

Children develop an interest in books around ages six to twelve months. Even though they will likely still try to put the book in their mouths, it is still a fun time to get them interested in reading. One of the milestones of this age is to have your baby sit in your lap and try to turn a page on his or her own. At this age, it’s fun to look at books with lots of pictures. Children also love to hear the sound of your voice, so practice reading aloud and engaging with your child during the reading process.

By ages one and two, most children will figure out that books have a lot to offer in terms of interesting pictures and content. Many children like to hold books at this age, and some parents even venture to the library to let their children pick out a few books of their own to sign out. Parents are encouraged to point out real life experiences at this age, and to show their children how some of the pictures or stories are related to life. At this developmental stage, parents can also ask their children to respond to questions as they read.