Developing Literacy Ages 0-3

Literacy development begins at birth. The first three years of life are an important window for language acquisition and developing the skills children will use in the future in their reading and writing.

The best way to enhance literacy development in young children is to:

  • Read books babies and toddlers enjoy with lots of pictures, actions and rhymes
  • Foster baby and toddler language development
  • Encourage tiny tots to engage in play

Stories and Rhymes Boost Literacy Development

Repetitive, rhyming language and beautiful illustrations all help nurture literacy development. They encourage young future readers to join in and repeat familiar words and sentences in well-loved children’s stories, as in:

  • “Run, run as fast as you can you can’t catch me. I am the Gingerbread Man!” from The Gingerbread Man
  • “And he huffed and he puffed, and he couldn’t blow down the house of bricks!” from The Three Little Pigs
  • “Who’s been eating my porridge?” from Goldilocks and the Three Bears.

Reading to children encourages growing readers to look carefully at pictures and describe them.

Children’s Drawings Foster Literacy

Young children are natural artists they love to experiment with finger paints, chalk and crayons on paper, pavements and chalkboards. Children’s drawings boost developing literacy:

  • Early experiences with painting, scribbling and drawing introduce children to writing.
  • Over time your young child will progress from markings, to scribbling, to imaginative pictures and in the future, to writing complete stories.

Promoting Emerging Literacy

Listening to stories, rhymes, singing, performing simple songs and verses help children appreciate the rhythm of language:

  • Singing songs
  • Clapping to syllables
  • Dancing to music

Clapping to syllables and dancing to music are fun and build early literacy in young children. It helps them notice similarities and differences in the sound of words and to recognise when words rhyme.

This ability will soon help them make the connection between sound and print.

All these fun activities help children develop auditory and visual perception skills.


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Valene, M., (2010). What Children Need to Learn to READ: The complete parent’s guide to ensuring literacy, a love of reading, and school readiness. Learners Lane Publishing.

Center on the Developing Child at Harvard University, Serve and Return Interactions shape Brain Circuitry

DLTK’s Educational Activities, Children’s Songs, Fairy Tales & Nursery Rhymes