West Virginia’s Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC), within the West Virginia Department of Health and Human Resources’ (DHHR) Bureau for Public Health, is highlighting the importance of reaching developmental milestones through reading as part of National Family Literacy Month.
West Virginia WIC is partnering with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s “Learn the Signs. Act Early.” program, which stresses the importance of tracking milestones in how a child plays, learns, speaks, acts and moves from birth to five years.
“West Virginia WIC is dedicated to ensuring all families receive proper, adequate nutrition, which is critical for learning,” said Heidi Staats, director of the West Virginia WIC program. “Reading is one way families can engage a child’s imagination and promote effective communication to help them reach developmental milestones.”
Families can observe and participate in National Family Literacy Month with the following tips:
1) Set aside 10-15 minutes each day for reading.
2) Use books as decorations around the house to interest children.
3) Take a trip to your local library.
4) Read the book version of your child’s favorite movie.
5) Start a book club with friends and family.
6) Participate in a book drive to help other families.
West Virginia children qualify for free books through Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library. For more information, visit https://imaginationlibrary.com/.
For more information about services offered by West Virginia WIC, visit dhhr.wv.gov/WIC.