Fast Facts: Early literacy activities (56)

Early literacy activities

Question:
Do you have any information on the early literacy activities of young children?

Response:

Parents and other family members can introduce young children to literacy and the world of books in different ways, including reading to them; telling stories; teaching letters, words, or numbers; and visiting a library. This Fast Fact looks at parent reports of home literacy activities over the past week or month¹ for 3- to 5-year-old children who were not yet in kindergarten.

Based on parent reports in 2019, most 3- to 5-year-olds not yet enrolled in kindergarten participated in one or more home literacy activities with members of their family. In the week before parents were surveyed, 85 percent of children were read to by a family member three or more times; 87 percent were told a story by a family member at least once; and 96 percent were taught letters, words, or numbers by a family member at least once. Also, in the month before the survey, 37 percent of children visited a library with a family member at least once.

The percentage of 3- to 5-year-olds not yet enrolled in kindergarten who were told a story by a family member at least once in the past week was higher in 2019 than in 2012 (87 vs. 83 percent).² The percentage of children who were read to by a family member three or more times in the past week was not measurably different between these years. However, the percentage of children who were taught letters, words, or numbers by a family member at least once in the past week was lower in 2019 than in 2012 (96 vs. 98 percent), as was the percentage who visited a library with a family member at least once in the past month (37 vs. 42 percent).

Percentage of 3- to 5-year-olds not yet enrolled in kindergarten, by type and frequency of home literacy activity: 2012 and 2019

The data in this figure is described in the surrounding text.

NOTE: All information is based on parent reports. The National Household Education Surveys Program (NHES):2012 used self-administered paper-and-pencil questionnaires that were mailed to respondents. For NHES:2019, the majority of data were collected using a web-based survey instrument that respondents accessed with credentials they received in a mailed invitation. Paper surveys were used for nonresponse follow-up and for a small experiment. Although rounded numbers are displayed, the figures are based on unrounded data.

In 2019, there were no measurable differences by race/ethnicity³ in the percentage of 3- to 5-year-olds not yet enrolled in kindergarten who were taught letters, words, or numbers by a family member at least once in the past week. However, participation in other home literacy activities differed by race/ethnicity. In regard to being read to, higher percentages of children who were White (91 percent) and of Two or more races (89 percent) had a family member read to them three or more times in the past week than did children who were Asian (81 percent), Hispanic (77 percent), or Black (75 percent). With respect to being told a story, higher percentages of children who were of Two or more races (91 percent), White (89 percent), and Asian (87 percent) were told a story by a family member at least once in the past week than were children who were Black (77 percent). The percentage of White children who were told a story was also higher than the percentage of Hispanic children (85 percent). For visiting a library, higher percentages of children who were Asian (54 percent) than of children who were of Two or more races (40 percent), White (40 percent), Black (33 percent), and Hispanic (32 percent) visited a library with a family member at least once in the past month.

¹ Refers to the past week or month before parents were surveyed.

² The National Household Education Surveys Program (NHES):2012 used self-administered paper-and-pencil questionnaires that were mailed to respondents. For NHES:2019, the majority of data were collected using a web-based survey instrument that respondents accessed with credentials they received in a mailed invitation. Paper surveys were used for nonresponse follow-up and for a small experiment.

³ Excludes a small number of non-Hispanic 3- to 5-year-olds whose parents did not choose any race from the categories provided on the race item in the questionnaire. Data for both Pacific Islander and American Indian/Alaska Native 3- to 5-year-olds were not discussed because reporting standards were not met.

SOURCE: U.S. Department of Education, National Center for Education Statistics (2021). The Condition of Education 2021 (NCES 2021-144), Home Literacy Activities with Young Children.

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