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When I began kindergarten, being able to read and write was not expected. Sure, we knew our numbers, and we knew our letters, but reading and writing were taught in kindergarten. There were certainly some pre-schools, but they were not the norm. Things have changed a lot in the last 30 years! Now, kids are expected to at least do some reading before coming to kindergarten, and they are expected to at least write some of the letters. The fact is, most students in kindergarten have a pretty good grasp of the materials that we would have learned in first grade. As I consider my own son, I can see that he has developed far more quickly than I did at his age.

So, what are the tricks to making sure our kids "keep up" with society? How do we ensure that they are on par with their peers when it comes to reading and writing? Allow me to make a few suggestions as to how to teach young children to read and write.

1. Encourage reading from a very young age. My wife and I have read to our children from the time they were born. I know that they really don't understand much of a story when they are only a couple of moths old, but they can start to look at the different colors and shapes. It will not be long until they are learning those shapes and colors, and that is the beginning of reading. They are paying attention to what is in the book, and they are learning to enjoy the experience of reading. If you make this a regular practice, your children will enjoy the time they spend sitting on your lap, and listening to stories.

2. Visit the Library. Most libraries have a "story time" for pre-school aged children. A good library director will make this a fun filled time for kids. Kids will enjoy getting to spend time with other children their own age, and they will also enjoy listening to the stories themselves. The library close to our home has done a very good job of running this type of program. For example, just recently, they read from Alice in Wonderland, and then had a tea party for all of the children. The party was a dress up affair, where the children could dress like the characters from the book (or just dress up in a costume if they preferred). This was a great success, and the kids were thrilled to be able to participate. This type of activity makes the stories come alive for the kids.

3. Use Educational Materials. There are a great many number of teaching aids available today to help parents teach children to read and write. We have used the Hooked on Phonics system

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