Health warning! Evidence suggests that pressurising young children to learn about letters or numbers in too formal a way might be counter-productive. Children need space and time to play and discover things for themselves. However, there are plenty of opportunities for developing necessary skills in everyday situations.

Words and reading:

• Teach them nursery rhymes
• start to share books with your child - the sooner, the better. Talk about the pictures, encourage them to predict what might happen next, allow them to turn the pages, let them 'read' familiar stories to you
• make sure they see other adults reading
• draw their attention to words around them - shop signs, food and sweet packaging etc.
• listen to taped stories
• make a name card (use a capital letter only for the start of the name) to encourage recognition of their own name.

Writing:

• give them plenty of opportunities to explore mark making - use fat crayons, chalks, felt pens and paintbrushes of varying thickness. They can 'paint' outside on a path with water and a thick brush
• encourage your child to hold the pencil correctly - pencil between the thumb and index finger with other fingers underneath and hand resting on the paper
• let them write with their fingers in sand, salt, shaving foam
• encourage activities which strengthen fingers in preparation for writing - rolling dough, cutting paper, threading beads and laces
• Give them the opportunity to 'write' shopping lists, birthday cards, invitations
• leave the teaching of forming real letters to the school - each school will teach a particular style and will advise you how to support your child. Far better to encourage your child to trace over writing patterns (wavy lines, zig-zags, curls and loops). Always trace from left to right.

Further information

For practical tips on starting school, log on to BBC Parents.

For useful information about building your child's confidence, log on to BBC Parents

If you have children between five and nine and you want to help them learn at home, log on to BBC Education.