Books offer a way to get to know your children.

Listen to the questions they ask. Look at what they see in the pictures. You may well be surprised by what they've seen and you've missed!

When your child goes to nursery school or playgroup, the teachers and leaders will be starting them on the road to becoming readers. This includes colouring in, picture and sound games, singing and rhymes. There will be all kinds of activities to help them learn new words, and different ways to explain things. Children who communicate well will usually find reading much easier.

Talk to your child's teacher about how you can help develop your child's literacy skills at home.

You will be amazed at how easy it is - and the chances are that you are already helping them by pointing out bus numbers, street signs, shop names and even the first letter of their names. All those everyday activities help your child to take an interest in the way words are used in the world around them.

Children are taught to read when they go to 'big' school- Primary 1. But the more everybody does to help them to enjoy books, words and language, the easier they will find the task of learning how to read.

Read with your child wherever you go.

Children are curious and the words in books often provide the answers to their questions.