The first five years of a child's life are a time of physical, emotional, and cognitive growth. The amount of support children receive during these early years can be strongly connected to the level of success they achieve later in life. Children whose families involve them in activities that allow them to wonder and experiment often take pleasure in learning, which motivates them to learn more. When children are provided with an environment rich in both written and oral language, they acquire essential skills for learning how to read. Children who enter school without these skills may risk falling behind their peers. This brochure was drawn from the larger booklet in the "Helping Your Child" series, "Helping Your Preschool Child" (ED498949) which provides tips, resources, and fun activities that parents can use with children from infancy through age five.