What is Environmental Print?
Your preschooler can read! Did you know that reading “Environmental Print” counts as a pre-reading skill? Reading activities in a preschooler’s environment includes…. food! The grocery store and your food pantry.
This DIY environmental print book is easy to make and costs almost nothing. Start with the products right in your own kitchen.
How To Make An Environmental Print Book
Here’s a simple way to add some early reading skills to your home.
To Make The Book:
1. Cut off the fronts of food boxes. We raided our neighbor’s recycle to add some interest to our book.
2. Sort largest tops to smaller – not necessary, but I thought it helped. Your child can participate in the sorting process..
3. Punch holes in the side, add office rings, and read!
OR add the pages to a 3-ring binder for extra stability.
This is one sturdy book – enjoy!
Environmental Print Reading Ideas
- Read the word
- Say the letters
- Say the sounds
- Find matching letters on the page
- Play “I Spy” for to find letters and sounds.
The Research: A study (Christie, et al, 2002; Prior and Gerard, 2004) found that adult interaction
with children was key to the transfer to conventional reading. The researchers report that the
adult must draw attention to the letters and sounds in environmental-print words in order for
children to recognize environmental print as words rather than pictures.
Your kids can pick-up amazing amounts of reading skills just from the world around them. This is real learning!
Sometimes kids just need the confidence to read and the assurance that you think they can too!
Do you remember Richard Scarry books? His Best Word Book Ever is a perfect for beginning readers, every word is labeled.
More Helpful Resources for Early Reading
Great way to store a collection of environmental print!