Before a child ever steps into a classroom, they are already absorbing language, observing behaviours, and engaging with the world around them. The home environment plays a huge part and Parents are children’s first teachers. Their actions, speech, habits, and emotional responses create the first curriculum a child ever knows. Whether intentionally or not, parents model language, vocabulary, and attitudes towards learning. If a child sees reading as something joyful, meaningful, and part of daily life at home, they are more likely to carry that perception into school.
Language acquisition is the first pillar of literacy. Babies begin to understand the sounds of language long before they speak. Parents who talk, sing, and read to their children help them build a rich vocabulary from an early age. Research shows that children who are spoken to regularly in their early years develop stronger language skills and perform better in school. In Nigerian homes, where multiple languages may be spoken, children also have the advantage of multilingual exposure. However, this should be harnessed intentionally. Whether speaking Yoruba, Hausa, Igbo, or Pidgin English, parents can support literacy by narrating everyday activities, asking questions, telling stories, and encouraging children to express themselves in their native or preferred languages.
The Power of Storytelling and Reading
Storytelling is an age-old tradition in Nigerian culture. From moonlight tales in villages to bedtime stories in urban homes, storytelling carries not just entertainment but also cultural knowledge, moral lessons, and language development. When parents engage children with stories, they are nurturing imagination, memory, sequencing, vocabulary, and listening skills.
Reading to children is one of the most effective ways to boost early literacy. Unfortunately, reading culture in many Nigerian homes is not as strong as it should be. Factors like poverty, illiteracy among parents, or lack of access to books can hinder the reading experience. However, even where books are limited, creative alternatives like oral storytelling, audio stories, or using everyday print (like newspapers, signage, labels) can still foster literacy. When we think of literacy, it’s easy to focus on reading and writing. But literacy includes speaking, listening, visual comprehension, critical thinking, and even numeracy. Children’s ability to communicate effectively and understand the world around them starts at home.
Parents who allow children to ask questions, explore their surroundings, and express themselves freely are nurturing these broader aspects of literacy. Whether it’s identifying colours while doing laundry or counting utensils while setting the table, everyday tasks offer natural opportunities for learning.
Despite the known benefits of home-based literacy support, many Nigerian parents, particularly in underserved communities, may not be aware of their role or how to play it. Economic hardship, lack of education, or cultural beliefs may affect how much time and energy parents can dedicate to early learning.
Some parents believe literacy is solely the job of teachers and schools. But this assumption leaves a gap. By the time children enter nursery school at age three or four, their literacy journey should already be underway. Without foundational skills, they start behind and catching up becomes difficult.
Parents don’t need degrees or expensive materials to support early literacy. Here are simple ways they can help:
Talk to your child often – Describe what you’re doing, ask questions, and encourage them to speak.
Sing songs and rhymes – Music supports memory, rhythm, and language.
Tell stories – Share family stories, folktales, or even create new ones together.
Read aloud – If possible, read books or point at pictures and describe what you see.
Make time for play – Play is learning. It helps children explore language, rules, and emotions.
Praise effort – Celebrate curiosity and attempts at communication, even if imperfect.
Education doesn’t begin with the school bell, it begins with the heartbeat of the home. Whether in a bustling city flat or a quiet rural compound, the power to shape a child’s literacy journey lies within the walls of the home. Nigerian parents, regardless of education or income level, have the ability to build strong, confident, literate children, simply by being intentional with words, stories, songs, and love.
Home is indeed the first school. And every word spoken, every story shared, every question answered is a lesson that echoes into the future.
