06/09/2026
๐ Reading Doesn't Have to Mean Reading Every Word! ๐
Reading just ONE picture book per day can expose a child to approximately 78,000 words per yearโand up to 1.4 MILLION more words before kindergarten!
One of our favorite speech therapy tips is to follow your child's lead during book reading. If your child is interested in the dog on the page, talk about the dog! YOU DON'T HAVE TO READ THE EXACT WORDS.
Instead of reading:๐ถ "The dog ran through the park."
Try:๐ถ "Look at that dog! He's running so fast! Where is he going? Oh, he sees a ball!"
Narrating what your child is looking at keeps them engaged, builds vocabulary, supports joint attention, and turns reading into a conversation rather than a performance.
So the next time you pick up a book, remember: the goal isn't to finish the storyโit's to CONNECT, TALK, and HAVE FUN together. โค๏ธ๐
