Reading, writing and arithmetic are the basics of our educational system and the fundamentals of any child's success. There are three stages of literary development that, when properly encouraged, can lead your child to a life long love of reading and writing.

Stage One: Developing A Love For Reading

The most important first step to any child's education is story time. Reading to your child not only sparks a love for literature, but it improves their focus and attention span. Studies have actually been done to prove that reading to a child grows the brain. Although any book you read to your child will foster their development, there are actually specific types of literature that will really give them a head start.

Classic Fairy Tales:

Start by reading classic fairy tales to your child. This will build a social and intellectual reference for them as well as teaching them to love classic literature. Once your child masters a classic fairy tale, find a deviation of the fairy tale.

For example, if your daughter loves "Cinderella," check out "The Cowboy Prince: A Fractured Texas Tale." This book is the "Cinderella" story with a twist. Reading these extra special twisted fairytales to your child will stretch their imagination and help them to understand the classic fairy tale on a deeper level.

Poetry And Rhyme:

Reading classic poetry and nursery rhymes along with Dr. Suessical styles of literature, will help your child to learn to read. Once your child masters the art of the rhyme he or she will naturally begin to make up his or her own. This is a good thing to encourage, as it will soon lead to reading as well as storytelling.

Stage Two: Foster Your Child's Imagination

Imaginary play is necessary for many reasons. Imaginary play is the number one avenue for learning in children under five years of age. This is the way they grow their social skills, their understanding and this is how their imagination is stretched.

Play dates, dress up and tea parties are all great imaginary play. Non-traditional toys are good too; objects like empty boxes and blankets over tables are all good for requiring the imagination to work. Change your child's rooms from time to time, this can be as simple as rearranging the furniture. Keep some of your child's toys in crates so that they can be switched out and rearranged from time to time.

Stage Three: Encourage Your Child To Write

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