Children’s Literacy – One of Childhood’s Biggest Milestones

last updated on: 03.06.2025 | Medical review by:

Mayara Belli

Nutritionist

Which mother or father doesn’t worry about their child’s learning? How it will be, how they will handle this new step and stage, and whether they will encounter any difficulties. Yet there is a big controversy behind those responsible for teaching in schools, leading to heated debates and division on the best method and timing for children’s literacy.
For years, the content to be taught during the literacy process has been maintained, but the current discussion was about the starting age, which was recently changed from 7 years old to 6 years old, when the child should start the first year of school.

Literacy in Early Childhood Education?

The discussion also extends to the issue of literacy in early childhood education. Is it too early to start? At an age when children should be playing and further developing their physical and motor coordination? This question continues to divide opinions and preschools, where methods are applied differently, each defending their own point of view.
Some believe that in the age range of 3 to 5 years children need to play, draw, and participate in activities especially involving music. Others point out the need for early knowledge of letters, and for children to become familiar with texts early on. Among all this division of ideas, one thing is solid: every child must start the first year of Elementary School at 6 years old and master literacy.

What is Literacy?

But after all, what is childhood literacy? The answer is a set of factors that stimulate knowledge of letters and mastering their use, in order to read and write. The techniques used in this process are varied, extending from vowel games to written activities that involve memorization. The environment where children are to be literate must be set up to stimulate and attract their attention. Here are some examples:

A list of students’ names in alphabetical order. Giving attention and emphasis to the first letter of each name, preferably highlighted with a bright color.
An alphabet clothesline or a board with all the letters, preferably within their reach for familiarization.
A board with numbers, also for the children’s familiarization.
Library

These are basic aspects every early literacy classroom should have, and of course count on the teacher’s good sense, creativity, and professionalism in leading this crucial step in child development.

How Can Parents Help with Literacy?

The challenging task of literacy is the teachers’ responsibility, but we as parents can certainly give a helping hand and support this important step by encouraging children’s desire and interest to learn even faster and, above all, to love reading. The world of letters is present in practically everything in our lives and every activity, even during play. So why not take advantage of these moments of interaction to stimulate learning?

How to Encourage Reading?

When children learn their first letters, especially when they can recognize and form some words, the excitement to read more and more words and show parents and close people what they can do is inevitable. Take this opportunity and read books and comics together, or maybe let your child write a shopping list for the market! How about leaving a note on the fridge for them to read??
While out and about, have you ever noticed how many signs and announcements are everywhere? This is a great way to have fun together and make learning more intense for your child. Ask them to read the signs that catch their eye, and if they can’t figure it out, any help is welcome.

Remember that each child has their own pace and learning rhythm, and shouldn’t be compared to others or punished if they struggle. Nervousness, anxiety, and pressure can be the main villains for difficulties in learning literacy. So encourage, cheer, and celebrate each new discovery and achievement of your child—this will be the best motivation for them to keep going further.

Book Recommendations for Children

To further encourage children’s curiosity, we can revive an old habit: reading comics! Some favorites are the adventures of Monica and her friends. Monica’s Gang has been a part of many parents’ lives and can now be part of our children’s too. It’s super important to encourage reading in little ones—the results in school get even better, and a love of reading is a passion carried for life! I always repeat to them what I heard every day from my wise father: The only thing that can never be taken from us is knowledge!

And at school they do a lot to encourage it, always offering books to read. It works like a library where even children have a member card to borrow books of their choice. Right now, they are in love with Itaú Cultural’s books that they receive and reread from time to time. These are from past collections and they are great:

Suggestions for Children’s Books

Lino (André Neves)
Chapeuzinho Amarelo (Chico Buarque)
Poesia na Varanda (Flavio Fargas)
Guess How Much I Love You (Sam McBratney)
The Party in the Sky (Ângela Lago)
The Big Hungry Bear (Don and Audrey Wood)
Inkheart
Bridge to Terabithia (Katherine Paterson)

This year Itaú has already launched a campaign for those who want children’s storybooks. Just register at this link to order yours. Encouraging reading only brings benefits: concentration, culture, better speech, stimulates imagination, and fosters a love of writing! That’s why starting early is so important! Start as soon as your baby can handle books—even starting with cloth books is a great idea!

The Importance of Reading for Children

One of the greatest pleasures for parents should be stimulating their children’s imagination and fantasy—whether through play, made-up stories, tales from their own childhood, or through reading. Reading for children has a fundamental role in child development because it leads to great improvement in learning, better pronunciation, and develops creativity and cultural awareness in a healthy way.
Wise is the parent who “wins” a few minutes with their child, whenever possible, to share and foster this pleasure for the child.Through reading, you can introduce your child to a new world, new ideas, and provide new knowledge. Children who are used to hearing stories from a very early age tend to take more interest in books and have more ease and interest when it comes time for literacy. There is no set age to start reading with children—the sooner you start, the greater the benefits for your child. When reading, let your inner child come out, and use your imagination to bring the story’s characters to life with your voice and emotion. This is one of the best ways to get the little ones’ attention and further activate their imagination—they will definitely want to imitate the dialogues in a fun way.
You don’t need to spend all day or the entire afternoon reading every book your child picks—of course, if you have the time and will, it will be one of the most enjoyable afternoons of your life. But 20 minutes a day is ideal to offer them this unique moment, and it will definitely be a stepping stone toward fostering this pleasure. When they learn to read on their own, they will have the pleasure of choosing their own books and maybe even change from listener to reader.
It should be a habit for everyone and promoted everywhere, especially when it comes to children’s education, but it lost some ground with the arrival of electronics, which attract more of children’s attention and offer parents a break. But this is something that cannot be lost, regardless of time or era. That’s why schools are moving toward more reading projects, opening up their libraries, and renewing their collections to attract more children to reading.
For these projects to succeed, parents need to work hand in hand with teachers. Encourage interest, do family reading circles, and keep up with each book your child brings home. That way you’ll discover what kinds of stories they enjoy and what topics most interest them. When you see a book on that topic, you’ll know your child will love to read it—maybe it could even be a gift?

Children’s Stories – Letting Kids Be Kids

Children’s stories are tales imagined by a person, which have been passed on and kept alive in the minds of those who hear them. They are handed down orally, each time gaining a different detail or version and becoming richer in fantasy. Stories passed down from great-great-grandparents to grandparents, then to parents, and then to their grandchildren, who will carry them on to future generations. This is how children’s stories live on!
Many of these have been written into books and became famous children’s tales, read and retold across generations at home, in schools, and during reading circles. They have been immortalized in films, sparking children’s imaginations even more—now they can not only hear, but also see the images and fall in love with their favorite characters. Sadly, with modern times, these stories are increasingly left behind and becoming a lost world to children. We parents, together with family and educators, need to keep this treasure alive and share it, so they get to know the world of fantasy we knew as children.
Children’s stories aren’t just simple tales, they help develop feelings, deal with emotions, and experience new sensations. Children can put themselves in the characters’ place and feel exactly what the story is describing. The sadness of the ugly duckling, the fear of the three little pigs, the awe of Rapunzel awaiting her prince—these are some of the things a child can experience in the world of stories. The world of imagination is part of constructing childhood, and is essential for healthy emotional development.