How Reading Supports Early Literacy: Sensory Book Play, Interactive Reading, and a Print-Rich Environment
Today's children are growing up in a world filled with smartphones, tablets, televisions, and digital media. Technology can certainly provide entertainment and educational opportunities, but it has also changed the way many children spend their time.
As an early childhood educator working in a family drop-in program, I sometimes hear parents wonder whether books are becoming old-fashioned. Some ask how they can encourage reading when colourful screens seem so much more exciting. Others wonder whether reading still matters when educational videos and apps are available everywhere.
Yet despite the rapid growth of technology, books continue to offer opportunities for shared attention, face-to-face interaction, and conversation that are often difficult to replicate through screens alone. Research suggests that shared reading experiences can support language development, early literacy skills, social-emotional learning, and caregiver-child relationships.
I am reminded of this almost every day in our centre.
"Look, a doggy!" two-year-old Liam exclaimed one morning, his tiny finger pressing firmly onto the fuzzy, textured patch of a well-loved board book.
Moments earlier, he had been zooming across the room, but the familiar story suddenly captured his attention. His mom smiled and immediately joined the conversation, pointing to other animals on the page and responding to his excitement.
Watching a young child engage with a book is more than a heartwarming moment. It is an important developmental experience.
Parents often ask how early they should begin reading with a baby who seems more interested in chewing the pages than listening to the story.
The good news is that early literacy is not about teaching children to read words at a very young age. Instead, it is about helping children build positive experiences with language, communication, stories, and human connection.
Sensory Book Play: Cultivating Early Literacy Beyond the Words
When we introduce books to infants and toddlers, it is important to remember that young children explore the world through all of their senses.
In our infant and toddler program spaces, books are not displayed out of reach on high shelves. Instead, they are placed in low, accessible baskets or on floor-level shelves where children can safely touch, carry, open, close, mouth, and investigate them.
This hands-on exploration is an important part of early literacy development.
When an infant mouths a cloth book, they are using oral exploration, a natural way for babies to learn about their world. Through repeated experiences, books gradually become familiar and enjoyable objects to explore.
As toddlers grow, they begin noticing that books contain pictures, symbols, and printed words that carry meaning.
These early experiences help children build familiarity with books while gradually laying the foundation for print awareness and early literacy.
To support this stage, consider offering:
Touch-and-feel books
High-contrast books
Cloth books
Lift-the-flap books
Sturdy board books
These types of books encourage active participation rather than passive listening.
While reading together, follow your child's interests rather than focusing solely on the printed words. Talk about textures, label pictures, imitate animal sounds, and encourage children to turn pages independently.
By combining language with sensory exploration, children build meaningful connections that support communication and learning.
When books are presented as enjoyable, accessible objects rather than fragile items that must be protected, children often develop greater confidence and curiosity around reading experiences.
Interactive Reading Techniques: Turning Stories into Conversations
As children grow, their relationship with books begins to change.
What starts as sensory exploration gradually develops into curiosity about characters, events, ideas, and stories.
Many adults feel pressure to read every word exactly as written, but some of the most valuable learning happens when children interrupt the story.
They may point to a small detail in the picture, ask questions, make observations, or create their own ideas about what is happening.
These moments are not distractions from reading.
They are opportunities for conversation.
A widely supported strategy called dialogic reading encourages adults to read with children rather than simply reading to them.
As language skills become more developed during the later toddler and preschool years, adults can actively invite children to participate in the storytelling process.
You might ask:
What do you think will happen next?
Why do you think the bear looks sad?
Have you ever felt that way?
What do you notice in this picture?
These simple conversations can help:
Expand vocabulary
Strengthen communication skills
Encourage critical thinking
Support emotional understanding
Build listening skills
When children actively participate in storytime, they begin connecting the ideas in books with their own experiences and understanding of the world.
Reading becomes much more than listening to words. It becomes a shared conversation.
Creating a Print-Rich Home Environment: Nurturing a Love of Reading
At our drop-in centre, books are not limited to a single library corner.
We place books throughout the environment so children can discover them naturally during play.
You might find:
Construction books near the block area
Animal books beside sensory activities
Cooking stories in dramatic play spaces
Nature books near loose parts invitations
Children are more likely to engage with books when they are easily accessible and connected to their interests.
Families can create similar opportunities at home without spending a great deal of money.
A small basket of books beside a couch, a cozy reading corner in a bedroom, or a few books stored near favourite toys can make books part of everyday life.
Establishing a predictable bedtime reading routine can also help children feel secure while creating positive associations with books and storytelling.
Equally important is the example adults provide.
Children pay close attention to what the important people in their lives do. When they regularly see parents, caregivers, and family members reading books, magazines, recipes, or newspapers, they learn that reading has value in everyday life.
Children do not learn to love reading because adults tell them reading is important. They learn to value reading when books become a natural and enjoyable part of everyday life.
Surrounding children with accessible books and modelling positive reading habits is one of the most effective ways to encourage a lifelong interest in reading.
Wrapping Up Today's Wonder
Books are much more than tools for learning letters and words.
They create opportunities for conversation, imagination, curiosity, and connection.
Whether your baby is exploring a crinkly cloth book, your toddler is searching for hidden pictures, or your preschooler is inventing a new ending to a favourite story, every shared reading experience contributes to their development.
In a world filled with screens, notifications, and digital distractions, books continue to offer something remarkably simple and powerful: a chance for two people to slow down, share attention, and enjoy a story together.
The next time you open a book with your child, remember that reading together is not about perfection.
It is about connection, conversation, and creating positive experiences that can support learning for years to come.
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Information Summary: Early Literacy & Shared Reading
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Recommended Age
Birth–6 Years (Infants, Toddlers, and Preschoolers)
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Safety Tips
Recommended Materials:
Non-toxic cloth books, durable board books, and age-appropriate reading materials.
Safety Reminder:
Regularly inspect books for loose parts, torn pages, or damage that could create safety concerns for young children.
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Early Literacy Skills
Skills Supported:
Vocabulary development, listening comprehension, print awareness, communication skills, and early literacy foundations.
Developmental Insight:
Young children develop literacy skills through meaningful interactions with books and caregivers long before they learn to read independently.
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Fine Motor Development
Recommended Activities:
Turning pages, lifting flaps, pointing to pictures, carrying books, and exploring different book textures.
Developmental Insight:
Handling books helps strengthen hand-eye coordination, finger control, and independent book-use skills.
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Family Connection
Recommended Activities:
Shared reading, storytelling, discussing pictures, asking questions, and revisiting favourite books.
Expert ECE Advice:
Reading together supports language development while also strengthening caregiver-child relationships through shared attention and conversation.
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Important Reminder
Expert ECE Advice:
Early literacy is not about teaching babies and toddlers to read words. It is about building positive experiences with language, books, communication, and human connection.
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