Books with words or actions that appear over and over again help youngsters to
predict or tell what happens next. These are "predictable" books. Children love
to figure out how a story may turn out!
Try To Find
Books with repeated phrases, questions, or rhymes "predictable" books
(Example: Brown Bear, Brown Bear, What Do You See? by Bill Martin, Jr. - Some
Primary Resources.)
What To Do
The first activities in the list below work well with younger children. As your
child grows older, the later activities let her do more. But keep doing the first ones as
long as she enjoys them.
Read "predictable" books to your child. Teach her to hear and name
repeating words, colors, numbers, letters, animals, objects, and daily life activities.
Once she gets to know a book, she may pretend to read it herself. Pick a story that has repeated phrases or a poem you and your child like.
Together, take on the voices of the characters. This part from
The Three Little Pigs
is a good example: Wolf Voice: Little
pig, little pig, let me come in.
Little Pig: Not by the hair on my
chinny-chin-chin.
Wolf Voice: Then I'll huff and I'll puff
and I'll blow your house in!
Your child will learn the repeated part and have fun joining in with you each time
it shows up in the story. Pretty soon, she will join in before you tell her.
"Predictable" books help children understand how stories progress. A
child easily learns familiar phrases and repeats them, pretending to read. "Pretend
reading" gives a child a sense of power and courage to keep trying.
Read books that give hints about what might happen next. Such books have your
child lifting flaps, looking through cut-out holes in the pages, "reading" small
pictures that stand for words, and searching for many other clues. Get excited along with
your child as she hurries to find out what happens next.
When reading "predictable" books, ask your child what she thinks will
happen. See if she points out picture clues, if she mentions specific words or phrases, or
if she connects the story to something that happens in real life. These are important
skills for a reader to learn.
A Home for
My Books
For children ages 2 to 6
Starting a home library for your child shows him how important books are. Having
books of his own in a special place boosts the chance that your child will want to read
even more.
Try To Find
Books at bookstores, garage sales, flea markets, used book stores, and sales run
by your neighborhood library, a bookcase, a cardboard box, or other materials to make a
place for books
When collecting and reading books are a part of family life, you send your child a
message that books are important, enjoyable, and full of new things to learn.
What To Do
Pick a special place for your child's books so he knows where to look for them. A
cardboard box that you can decorate together might make a good bookcase. Or clear a shelf
and make a special place for him to put his books with the family books.
Help your child arrange his books in some order his favorite books, books about
animals, holiday books. Use whatever method will help him most easily find the book he's
looking for.
Borrow books from your neighborhood library (see
Let's Visit the Library). Go to the children's section
and spend time with your child reading and selecting books to take home and put in his
special place. You might even have a box or space just for library books, so they don't
get mixed up with his other books.
Encourage family and friends to give books as presents to your child for birthdays
and other occasions.
When you and your child make your own books, you can add them to your home
library. (For ideas on making books, see As Simple as ABC
and Write On!)
Parent Pointer:
Predictable books help children
understand how stories progress. A child easily learns familiar phrases and repeats them,
pretending to read. Pretend reading gives a child a sense of power and courage to
keep trying.
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