Take a Walk...A Picture Walk!

Picture walks are a great way to introduce a new book to your child and at the same time, improve his language and literacy skills. Picture walks are basically just a conversation between you and your child about the book. Here are some key components of a successful picture walk:

-Look at the cover and talk about the author/illustrator and what those words mean. Ask your child to guess what the book will be about.

-Ask your child to look at the pictures and to describe what’s happening. Have him predict what will happen next.

-When your child answers a question, rephrase his answer, adding more words to it.

-If you see any new vocabulary words, point them out and explain what they mean. Use them in a sentence to reinforce the new knowledge.

-Encourage your child to make real-world connections between the book and experiences that he’s had.