PRINT-RICH HOME CHECKLIST
Making Literacy Part of Your Environment
🎯 WHAT IS A PRINT-RICH HOME?
A print-rich home isn’t cluttered or overwhelming—it’s intentional. Print is:
- Visible – In places where your family spends time
- Functional – Serving a real purpose
- Engaging – Inviting interaction
- Natural – Woven into daily life
Goal: Help children see that print is useful, everywhere, and worth paying attention to!
📚 PART 1: BOOK ACCESSIBILITY
Rate your home: ☐ Just Starting ☐ Good Progress ☐ Print-Rich!
Books Where Life Happens
Do you have books in these locations?
☐ Kitchen/dining area (for browsing during meals)
☐ Living room/family space (for spontaneous reading)
☐ Child’s bedroom (multiple spots if possible!)
☐ Bathroom (waterproof books for bath time)
☐ Car/diaper bag (travel pack ready to go)
☐ Playroom/play area (related to their interests)
☐ Other high-traffic areas: _____________________________
Scoring:
- 0-2 locations: Just starting! Pick ONE to add this week
- 3-4 locations: Good progress! Books are accessible
- 5+ locations: Print-rich! Books are everywhere life happens
Book Variety & Appeal
Types of books available:
☐ Board books (indestructible for little ones)
☐ Picture books (various topics and lengths)
☐ Early readers/chapter books (if age-appropriate)
☐ Non-fiction/information books
☐ Comic books or graphic novels
☐ Poetry or joke books
☐ Magazines (kid-friendly)
☐ Interactive books (lift-flap, touch-feel)
☐ Books in languages you speak at home
☐ Books that reflect your family/culture
Goal: Variety shows that reading serves many purposes!
Book Rotation
☐ I rotate books every 1-2 weeks to keep them interesting
☐ Some books stay permanently (favorites are important!)
☐ I remove books that are outgrown or damaged
☐ Child can reach books independently
☐ Books are displayed cover-out (not just spines) in at least one location
📋 PART 2: FUNCTIONAL PRINT
Print that DOES something – shows literacy is useful!
In the Kitchen
☐ Grocery list posted at child’s eye level
☐ Weekly meal plan (with pictures if helpful)
☐ Recipe cards for simple things child helps make
☐ Family chore chart (pictures + words)
☐ Labels on pantry/fridge (optional, but fun for younger kids)
Pick at least 1-2 to try!
Around the House
☐ Family calendar showing events with pictures
☐ Daily schedule (morning routine, bedtime routine)
☐ Growth chart with measurements and dates
☐ Family message board for leaving notes
☐ Birthday/special date list
☐ House rules (simple, positive, illustrated)
Start with whatever fits your family best!
For Play & Learning
☐ “Word of the Day” sticky note (change daily)
☐ Weather chart child helps update
☐ Letter of the Week display
☐ Nature/science observations written down
☐ Art labeled with child’s name and date
☐ Toy bin labels (blocks, cars, dolls, etc.)
These make print interactive and fun!
You as Print Model
Do your children see YOU using print?
☐ Reading recipes while cooking
☐ Checking grocery list at store
☐ Reading mail/letters
☐ Looking at calendar together
☐ Writing notes or lists
☐ Reading news/articles (print or digital)
☐ Following directions/instructions
☐ Texting/emailing (yes, this counts!)
The most powerful lesson: Watching you use print in real life!
🏷️ PART 3: ENVIRONMENTAL LABELS
Strategic labeling helps connect spoken and written words
Child’s Room Labels
☐ Door
☐ Bed
☐ Toys (or specific bins: blocks, cars, etc.)
☐ Books
☐ Clothes/Dresser
☐ Window
☐ Child’s name on door or wall
☐ Other: ___________________________
Start with just 5-10 labels! Too many become invisible.
Interactive Labeling
☐ Labels are colorful/appealing
☐ Child helped decorate some labels
☐ I refer to labels occasionally (“Put toys in the toy bin!”)
☐ We play “label hunt” games
☐ Labels get changed/updated sometimes
☐ Some labels include pictures + words
☐ I’ve added simple phrases (e.g., “My cozy bed”)
Labels work best when you actually USE them!
Advanced Environmental Print
☐ Labels around house (bathroom, kitchen items)
☐ Seasonal decorations with words
☐ Maps or charts on wall
☐ Alphabet frieze or number line
☐ Inspirational word art
☐ Family photos with names/dates
Only add these if basic labels are working!
🎨 PART 4: WRITING & CREATION OPPORTUNITIES
Literacy isn’t just reading – it’s creating!
Writing Materials Accessible
Does your child have easy access to:
☐ Paper (various colors/sizes)
☐ Crayons/markers/colored pencils
☐ Pencils/pens (if age-appropriate)
☐ Whiteboard or chalkboard
☐ Sticky notes
☐ Envelopes for “letters”
☐ Stapler for making “books”
☐ Blank journals or notebooks
Location: ☐ Child’s room ☐ Common area ☐ Multiple locations
Creation Invitations
☐ Child has made their own “books”
☐ We write stories/captions for drawings
☐ Child writes cards/letters for family
☐ We make signs for pretend play
☐ Child sees me write lists/notes
☐ We write together (collaborative stories)
🎯 PART 5: PRINT AWARENESS IN DAILY LIFE
Do you help child notice print in the world?
Out & About
☐ Read road signs together
☐ Notice store names and logos
☐ Look at menus at restaurants
☐ Read signs at park or playground
☐ Point out letters/words on clothing
☐ Notice print on packaging (cereal, snacks)
Playful Print Interactions
☐ Play “I Spy” with letters/words
☐ Hunt for child’s name letter
☐ Count words on a page
☐ Find rhyming words on signs
☐ Make silly words with magnetic letters
☐ Create pretend scenarios that use reading (restaurant, store, post office)
Technology & Digital Print
☐ Closed captions on sometimes during TV
☐ Child-friendly apps with print
☐ E-books or audiobooks with text
☐ Typing their name on devices
☐ Watching you send texts/emails
Digital print counts too!
📊 YOUR PRINT-RICH HOME SCORE
Count your check marks in each section:
Book Accessibility (Part 1): _____ / ~15
Functional Print (Part 2): _____ / ~20
Environmental Labels (Part 3): _____ / ~15
Writing Opportunities (Part 4): _____ / ~10
Print Awareness (Part 5): _____ / ~15
TOTAL: _____ / ~75
Interpreting Your Score:
0-20: Just starting your print-rich journey! Pick 3 easy wins from each section.
21-40: Good foundation! Focus on adding functional print and labels.
41-60: Well on your way! You’ve created a literacy-friendly environment.
61-75: Print-rich home achieved! Your child is swimming in meaningful print!
Remember: This isn’t a competition! Even a few strategic additions make a big difference.
🎯 ACTION PLAN: GETTING STARTED
Choose 3 Quick Wins for THIS WEEK:
Quick Win #1: ___________________________________________________________
Quick Win #2: ___________________________________________________________
Quick Win #3: ___________________________________________________________
What I need: ___________________________________________________________
When I’ll do it: ________________________________________________________
💡 EASY FIRST STEPS BY EFFORT LEVEL
Super Easy (Do Today!):
☐ Put 3 books on breakfast table
☐ Write grocery list where child can see
☐ Label 3 things in child’s room
☐ Put word of the day on sticky note
☐ Point out road signs on next drive
Easy (This Week):
☐ Create one book basket
☐ Add weekly meal plan to fridge
☐ Make travel pack for car
☐ Set up family message board
☐ Clap syllables during one walk
Moderate (This Month):
☐ Create book baskets in 3 locations
☐ Add full functional print system (lists, calendar, charts)
☐ Label 10 items around house
☐ Establish one ritual anchor
☐ Build writing materials station
🚫 WHAT A PRINT-RICH HOME IS NOT
A print-rich home is NOT:
✗ Cluttered with random words everywhere
✗ Overwhelming or visually chaotic
✗ Expensive (use what you have!)
✗ Pinterest-perfect or aesthetically perfect
✗ Focused on “teaching” over natural exposure
✗ Rigid or one-size-fits-all
A print-rich home IS:
✓ Intentional and functional
✓ Tailored to your family’s life
✓ Natural and integrated
✓ Flexible and evolving
✓ Focused on showing print’s usefulness
✓ Joyful and pressure-free
🔄 MAINTENANCE & REFRESHING
Every 2-4 weeks:
☐ Rotate books in baskets
☐ Update labels if child lost interest
☐ Change “word of the day”
☐ Refresh functional print (new grocery list, calendar events)
☐ Add seasonal elements
☐ Remove what’s not being used
The environment should evolve with your child!
✅ MONTHLY CHECK-IN
Date: _________
What’s working well:
What’s not being used:
What I want to add/change:
Child’s engagement level: ☐ High ☐ Medium ☐ Low
My effort level feels: ☐ Sustainable ☐ Overwhelming ☐ Too easy (add more!)
🌟 REMEMBER
The goal isn’t perfection – it’s exposure.
Every book basket, every label, every moment you model reading adds up. Your child is building an understanding that:
✓ Print is everywhere
✓ Print is useful
✓ Print helps us navigate our world
✓ Reading is normal, not special occasion
✓ Literacy is woven into daily life
And THAT’S what creates lifelong readers! 🌸
Words That Bloom | www.wordsthatbloom.com
Creating Print-Rich Homes, One Book Basket at a Time