Pull out a board book, a picture book, a cook book, magazine, newspaper or postcard and get cozy on the couch to share reading.  Kids love repetition, there's no such thing as reading too much to your child.

2. Talk to them

Sing songs, recite rhymes and narrate your activities as you go throughout the day.  Ask questions and invite them to describe what they're seeing.  At night, recap the day's events together out loud.

3. Take them on trips

No, not Disneyland...the supermarket, the post office, a museum or the zoo will do. Then talk about what you see and ask questions.

4. Socialize

Children benefit from interacting with peers socially whether at a party, a soccer game, at the park or on a play date.  Story hour at the library or a puppet show can be especially good for encountering new words and ideas.

5. Use your fingers

Drawing, cutting, playing with play dough, making puzzles or model airplanes help students with small motor control and help students learn to print and write in cursive.

6. Teach recognition

Read labels on food packages, names and addresses on mail, a stop sign, billboard and letters on signs for small children.  This gives children the opportunity to make sense of print that is all around them.

8. Do the math

Talk about numbers.  Count aloud.  How many grapes are on your plate?  If everyone in the family gets two cookies, how many will cookies will that be?  How many days until our visit to Grandma's house?  If we want to add more, that would make how many?

9. Grow their attention span

Card games, board games, setting the table, sorting socks or finding pictures in a magazine.  Set time aside to focus on a single activity or one task before moving on to play.

10. Tell them they are capable

Praise your child at every opportunity, at a minimum of three times per day to build confidence.