(NAPSI)-There’s good news for parents and caregivers who want to give infants, toddlers and preschoolers a boost in developing their language skills.
A new, free, educational website has been created to be a fun and interactive online reading resource that features stories, games, music and other engaging activities for adults to experience together with young children.
The site, called Leading to Reading, is sponsored by Reading Is Fundamental (RIF) and is organized into three easy-to-navigate sections: babies and toddlers (ages birth-2), preschoolers (ages 3-5) and grown-ups.
Motivational mascots Riffy and Rita guide users throughout the site with “click” and “hear” navigation. Other features of the site include:
• A wide selection of animated and audio children’s stories;
• Finger play videos such as “Itsy Bitsy Spider” and “I’m a Little Teapot”;
• Interactive videos introducing children to age-appropriate subjects such as animals, art and geography;
• Nursery rhymes and lullabies such as “All Around the Mulberry Bush” and “Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star”;
• Online coloring and doodling;
• Sing-along songbook;
• Grown-ups section featuring expert Q&A, a video with literacy tips and activities, book search, and parent and caregiver journals.
“Since language develops far more rapidly during the first five years of life than any other time, it is important that parents read and interact with their young children as often as possible,” said Carol H. Rasco, RIF’s president and CEO. “This site encourages children to discover the joy of reading at an early age.”
The website is designed to be compliant with all Internet safety guidelines and is advertising-free. A Spanish-language version of the site, RIF Semillitas de Aprendizaje, is also available.
Founded in 1966, RIF works with children, their parents and community members to make reading a fun and beneficial part of everyday life. RIF’s highest priority is reaching underserved children from birth to age eight.
To learn more, go to rif.org.
