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One of the first steps in learning to read is learning to recognize letters. Parents have many options to introduce letters to their children. Aside from the standard letter blocks, there are also refrigerator magnets, electronic games, foam letters that will stick to your tub, as well as alphabet coloring pages. Some parents even decorate their children's room with the letters of the alphabet.

Any exposure to letters is helpful. When children see the alphabet frequently, the letters become commonplace and familiar. When that happens, children are more comfortable with them and have an easier time learning to read because the letters themselves do not seem foreign to them.

One important point, however, that seems be overlooked too often is the importance of lower-case letters. Only a small fraction of letters in written language are upper-case. Yet, they seem to be the focus of most alphabet-related products. In order for children to be ready for early reading, lower-case letter recognition is extremely important.

Further, it is very helpful if children have an understanding that the upper-case letters and their lower-case counterparts are essentially the same. When sounding words out, they make the same sound whether they are upper- or lower-case. Therefore, activities that help children link those letters in their minds are very useful. For example, matching games, coloring pages, or books which show both upper-case and lower-case letters together reinforce their connection.