Reading aloud to young children can help them acquire the information and skills they need to succeed in school and life, such as understanding the difference between written language and everyday conversation, learning the meaning of many words and the world in which they live and-of great importance-discovering the pleasure of reading.

Here are some suggestions for reading aloud to children:

Make reading books an enjoyable experience. Choose a comfortable place where the children can sit near you. Help them feel safe and secure. Be enthusiastic about reading.

Read to children frequently. Establish regular times for reading during the day, and find other opportunities to read:

• Start or end the day with a book.
• Read to children after a morning play period, which also helps settle them down.
• Read to them during snack time or before nap time.

Help children to learn as you read. Explain words that they may not know. Point out how the pictures in a book relate to the story. Talk about the characters' actions and feelings.

Ask children questions as you read. Ask questions that help children connect the story with their own lives or that help them to compare the book with other books that they have read.

Encourage children to talk about the book. Ask them to talk about their favorite parts and encourage them to tell the story in their own words.

Read many kinds of books. Read books with characters and situations both similar and dissimilar to those in the children's lives so they can learn about the world.

Choose books to help you teach. Use alphabet books to help you teach the names of the letters and the sounds, counting books to teach children how to count and recognize numbers, poetry or rhyming books to support your teaching of phonological awareness, and big books (oversized books that your children can easily see) to point out letters, words, and other features of print and to teach book handling.

Reread favorite books. Children love to hear their favorite books over and over again. Hearing books read several times helps children understand and notice new things.

The suggestions in this article are excerpted from a publication released last month, entitled Teaching Our Youngest: A Guide for Preschool Teachers, Child Care & Family Providers. For a free copy, while supplies last, call 1-­877-­4ED-­PUBS and ask for item EA 0203P, or visit http://www.ed.gov/offices/OESE/teachingouryoungest .

For a free bookmark that lists 7 Super Things Parents & Caregivers Can Do to nurture a healthy and smart child, call the toll-­free number above with publication number EA 0204M.