Reading with Preschoolers Reading becomes a fun game for 3- and 4-year-olds as they become more active participants in story hour. Picture books are ideal for preschoolers, who get even more meaning out of illustrations. What They Learn Your child is learning new words and phrases at a feverish pace and beginning to construct longer sentences, so how you read to her is important. "Instead of just reading the text straight through, ask a lot of open-ended questions about the story," says Dr. McCartney. If you're reading Where the Wild Things Are , ask, "Why is Max so angry with his mom?" This challenges your child to strengthen his comprehension skills; he has to contribute to the conversation, not simply give one-word answers or point to a picture in response. Preschoolers also start to develop phonological awareness -- the ability to listen to the sounds in words. "Rhyming books are great because they playfully capitalize on this skill," says Dr. McCa...