Connect Books with Real Life

1. 1

   While reading with your child, connect a picture or word in the book with something familiar from everyday life.

2. 2

   When a character performs an action, link it with a real routine. If a bear washes its hands, say, “We wash our hands before we eat,” and make the action together.

3. 3

   When the book shows a familiar place, compare it with your child’s experience. If a rabbit is in a kitchen, ask, “What is in our kitchen?” and mention one important feature, such as, “The oven can be hot.”

4. 4

   Talk about a character’s feeling too. When a rabbit cries, ask, “How does the rabbit feel?” Then connect it with a familiar moment: “You felt sad when you were sick.”

5. 5

   Notice story words outside the book. On a walk, point to a real tree and say, “This tree is like the one in the book. Its shade keeps us out of the sun.”

What to notice

• Uses a new word from the picture book, such as “sad” Emergent Literacy
• Connects an event in the story with something they have done, such as washing hands before eating Memory

Tips

• Ask a simple question about what may happen next: “The rabbit ran into the woods. Who might it meet?” Invite your child to use details from the pictures and plot, along with newly learned words, to continue the story.

Developmental benefits

• Language: Connecting a picture-book story with a real-life experience helps your child understand and use new words in a meaningful context.