Act out your child’s favorite storybook. Find items around the house to help make the story come alive—a hat, an umbrella, a crown made from the newspaper. Change your voice to give each character a different sound.

Children love to hear stories told over and over, which actually helps them learn about story structure—that each story has a beginning, middle and end. But sometimes parents get tired of reading the same book! Spice up story time by using props—items that represent objects referred to in the story. This makes reading more fun and helps make the story more real for your child.