When my older son was beginning to show an interest in reading, we looked for ways to encourage his interest without pressuring him to learn to read (he was four at the time).  I have observed, much too often in my preschool-teaching days, parents who want their child to succeed at reading to the degree that the child becomes completely turned off of the idea of understanding the written word.  Combining things children love with print can encourage the child to want to know more about how words work and what reading is all about. Read more…