Helpful Tips for Parents

• Read aloud daily for at least 15 minutes. This single habit is the strongest predictor of kindergarten reading readiness and long-term academic success.

• Model learning yourself. A parent who reads books, asks questions, visits museums, and says "I don't know, let's find out" teaches learning as a lifestyle, not a chore.

• Learning is most durable when it's embedded in play. Don't pull children away from play to "do learning" — find the learning inside the play they're already doing.

• Use mathematical language all day: "more than," "less than," "half," "equal," "twice as much." Incidental math vocabulary builds the conceptual foundation formal math builds on.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do I know if my preschooler is learning enough at home?

Developmental milestones (not academic benchmarks) are the appropriate assessment tool for preschoolers. Verify your child is meeting age-appropriate milestones for language, motor, social-emotional, and cognitive development using your pediatrician's well-child visit assessments. Preschoolers learning through play, conversation, books, and daily life engagement are learning more than their standardized test scores will later reflect. Concern is warranted if a child shows regression in skills previously mastered, or fails to meet speech and language milestones.

What is the role of technology in preschool education?

High-quality educational apps and programs (PBS Kids, Khan Academy Kids, Starfall) used in limited, adult-co-viewed sessions can supplement preschool learning. However, interactive human experiences (conversation, shared book reading, hands-on experimentation, social play) remain far superior as primary learning modes. Screen-based learning is most effective when it is: co-viewed with an adult, limited to 30–60 minutes per day, followed by extension activities in the real world (after a nature app, go outside), and consistently educational rather than commercial.

Related reading: See also our read-aloud guide and our kindergarten readiness guide for more ideas on this topic.

🎓 Skills Your Child Will Develop

• 📚 Pre-Reading Skills — Activities that involve letters, sounds, rhymes, and print directly build the phonological awareness and letter knowledge that are the two strongest predictors of successful reading development.
• 👂 Listening & Attention — Activities that require children to listen carefully and follow directions build the voluntary auditory attention that classroom learning, reading comprehension, and conversation all require.
• 💬 Vocabulary Expansion — Every new concept, activity, and domain-specific term a child encounters expands their vocabulary — and children's vocabulary at kindergarten entry is the single strongest predictor of reading comprehension at age 10.
• 🎯 Self-Directed Learning — Learning that begins with the child's own question or interest produces the deepest understanding — and children who experience self-directed learning develop the intrinsic motivation that sustains learning throughout life.

A Is for Angry: An Animal and Adjective Alphabet

By Sandra Boynton

From the Preschool Book

A Bright Book Containing Colorful Drawings and Energetic, Fun Graphics . . . Here Is Joy for Kids Little, Medium, Nearly Nine and Older . . . People that Quickly Read it Six Times Understand Very Well the eXcitement of Youthful Zaniness.

About the Preschool Book

In typical Boynton fashion, this zany alphabet book uses unexpected wordplay and bright, engaging illustrations to capture the attention of preschoolers and their parents. You will laugh at the frightened fox fleeing from flying fish and the nosy newts. This alphabet book goes through an entire alphabet of emotions that will help your preschooler find the words to label the variety of emotions that they feel each day. Understanding what they are feeling helps preschoolers to better deal with daily frustrations and extreme emotions.

From the Reviewer

Your preschooler will love the amusing illustrations and unique adjectives used in this alphabet book. The large uppercase letters are bright and clear so preschoolers can easily pick them out and practice recognizing each letter. This alphabet book features several words for each alphabet letter and is wonderful for encouraging phonemic awareness in preschoolers. Each letter has an animal and an adjective that starts with that letter.

Emotional Education

Animals are always a favorite among preschoolers but emotions are a subject that should be a larger part of a well rounded preschool education. Learning to deal with emotions is one of the most important skills that a preschooler can learn from formal preschool education. It is a skill that will remain with them for the rest of their lives and make them happier and better able to deal with the challenges that they will face during their lifetime.

Laugh along with your preschooler while reading this entertaining book that is sure to become a favorite.

Hi! I'm Rachel Lister, the Preschool Education writer at PreschoolRock.com. I live in Utah with my husband and two beautiful boys. When my oldest son was born, I quit my teaching job and opened a home daycare and preschool. I love to help preschoolers learn about the world around them. They make life interesting and I can't imagine doing anything different. If you have any ideas, suggestions or comments, feel free to contact me.