When it comes to encouraging literacy in children, the first thing that comes to mind is reading to them. And of course, reading to children is wonderful and can be done when the opportunity arises. But to be realistic, sometimes there’s just not enough time to sit and read physical books. Luckily, there are other ways to promote literacy without having a book at all! Things that you do every day, both at home and on the go, can be simple ways to help kids boost their vocabulary and reading skills.

• Run errands with your child, such as grocery shopping. You can involve your children while writing the shopping list and practice reading the aisle signs together (for example, “Where do we find the cereal?” “Aisle 7!”). Have them help pick out all the items on the list by reading it aloud together and checking off each item as it goes into the cart.

• Listen to audiobooks while running errands. Audiobooks can be just as fun as jamming out to music, downloaded to your phone, and played through your car speakers. They can be paused when the errand is over and picked up again the next time everyone piles into the car. You can download free audiobooks for children via Spotify, PBS Kids, and Libby (an app which lets you access audiobooks available from your local library).

• Pause the movies and turn on YouTube! There are plenty of free visual read-along stories for children available on YouTube. The Harper Kids YouTube channel features author read-alongs in their Storytime Read Aloud playlist, as well as chapter books for older children. You can access other great videos by using the search feature on YouTube or searching “Best Kids’ Read-Aloud YouTube Channels” on Google.

• If your children are begging for music over audiobooks, go ahead and sing together! Learning lyrics and coming up with silly dance choreography in your living room can help your child learn different words and sounds. Whether it is nursery rhymes such as “Wheels on the Bus” or the latest catchy single from Taylor Swift, singing, rhyming, and matching dance moves to lyrics can boost both reading comprehension and thinking skills.

• Learn how to say simple words and phrases in other languages. This can help boost their literacy skills by getting them comfortable with unfamiliar words. Try practicing phrases such as “hi,” “bye,” and “good morning,” in languages such as Spanish, Creole, and Portuguese, or any other language your child may have an interest in.

• Kids love to make up their own stories and books! Having them tell the story, create it with materials at home or writing it down for them, allows them to be the author!

In conclusion, reading doesn’t have to stop just because there isn’t a physical book in sight. Words are all around us - everything from the Publix sign to safety signs at the park all count towards literacy. Stop and read every time your child sees words. Encourage open-ended questions and explain words that children don’t yet understand. Introducing words in creative ways will boost your child’s literacy within the classroom and at home.