Books, Bananas, and Boredom: Why Preschool Literacy Matters and How to Turn Your Home into a Story-Filled Wonderland

Dr. Deb Zupito

Preschool literacy isn’t about pushing your child to read chapter books at age four. It’s about laying the foundation for a lifelong love of language, storytelling, curiosity, and connection. When children engage with books, whether listening to them, reading them, or making their own, they’re developing brain pathways that support language, emotional intelligence, memory, empathy, and creativity.

Reading builds brains. Storytelling builds hearts. Making books builds both.

You don’t need a huge bookshelf or a master’s in literacy to support your child’s development. You just need a few simple tools, a sprinkle of imagination, and a willingness to be a little silly. Here’s how to turn everyday moments into literacy magic.

Bring Books into Everyday Life

Kitchen Stories: Reading a recipe or making up a story about a mischievous pancake who refuses to flip is more educational than you think. One parent told us, “My son wrote The Angry Cheese at the table while I cooked. Page one: ‘Cheese didn’t like anyone.’ Page five: ‘Then he met Pickle.’ Instant classic.” Label cabinets together. Write a “menu” for dinner. Read a food-themed book and then taste-test. Literacy lives in language, and the kitchen is full of it.

Bedtime Nooks: A cozy corner with a few rotating books and a stuffed animal is more powerful than a tablet on the brightest setting. Reading together not only supports vocabulary and comprehension, it tells your child, “I have time for you. I see you.”

Bath-Time Tales: Waterproof books or silly storytelling in the tub make for clean fun. Create a story about a bubble named Fred who dreams of becoming a cloud. Ask your child what happens next. Boom…. narrative skills.

Park & Nature Narratives: Take a nature-themed book to the park and go on a “story walk.” Then make your own: The Leaf Who Got Lost, Muddy Puddle Parade, Ants Have Adventures Too.

Make Books Together, No Publisher Needed, and GO BANANAS!!!

Here’s where the literacy magic multiplies. When kids make books, they feel seen and powerful. They learn that their words matter. Here are some ideas to get started:

The “I’m Bored” Book: Staple a few pages together and say, “Write a book about how bored you are.” One little author wrote Still Bored Now on every page, until a ninja showed up to karate-kick the boredom away.

Adventure Books: Print out pictures from your trip to the zoo or grocery store. Let your child narrate what happened. One child titled theirs My Trip to Trader Joe’s and included a dramatic cereal aisle mix-up.

Emotion Books: Help your child draw or photograph facial expressions and write a page for each: happy, mad, silly, worried. One class favorite: When My Mom Gets Tired—which included coffee, sighing, and hiding in the laundry room.

Wordless Books: Draw pictures and let your child tell the story in their own words. You don’t need full sentences, stickers, doodles, or photos count too. The goal is creative expression, not grammar perfection.

Family Storybooks: Interview Grandma, Grandpa, or even the dog. Ask simple questions and let your child illustrate the answers. Create a mini-biography and share it during bedtime or family dinners.

Why This All Matters

When children are immersed in books and stories:

• They build strong brain pathways for language, comprehension, and emotional regulation.

• They learn that their voice matters and their ideas belong in the world.

• They gain confidence, imagination, and a sense of connection, with you and with themselves.

You’re not just raising a reader. You’re raising a communicator, a problem solver, a creator. Whether your child is giggling over a bedtime book, narrating a trip to the zoo, or writing The Day My Banana Ran Away, they are developing skills that will shape how they see and understand the world.

So, keep a stack of books on the floor. Toss blank paper and crayons in a basket. Say yes to silly stories and made-up rhymes. And remember, every time you read or write with your child, you’re not just building literacy. You’re building belonging!!!