There are six early literacy skills children need to develop to become good readers.

1. Oral language: speaking, listening, and communication skills
2. Phonological awareness: ability to hear and play with the smaller sounds in words
3. Print awareness: knowledge that print has meaning and how to handle a book
4. Letter knowledge: knowing that letters have different shapes and represent sounds and that letters are different from shapes or numbers
5. Vocabulary: knowing the meanings of words
6. Background knowledge: prior knowledge about the world before a child enters school

Here are five simple practices you can incorporate into your daily routine that support the development of these skills. The bonus is that this is also quality bonding time with your child:

1. Talk: Talking with children helps them learn words. Talking is one of the most critical early literacy skills. Children learn about language by listening to parents talk and joining in the conversation. For babies, this may start off as babbling and evolves into full sentences by the time your child is five.
2. Sing: Singing with children helps develop the sounds that make up words.  Singing slows down spoken words so children can hear the different sounds that make up the words.
3. Play: Playing is one of the best ways for children to learn language and literacy skills. Building with blocks or kicking a ball help them put thoughts into words and talk about what they are doing.
   
4. Read: Reading together helps with building vocabulary and comprehension and can nurture a love for reading. Asking questions while reading a story with your child helps them find a greater meaning in the words and illustrations.
5. Write: Children become aware that printed letters stand for spoken words as they see words used in their daily lives. Tracing letters on their hand or writing words down on paper helps your little one make this connection.