This paper discusses the importance of adopting pre-reading skills in pre-school age and how to develop and encourage them. First of all, it gives the definition of reading skills and the results gained in the research in the field of reading science. It explains the way the reading process flows in the brain and which factors in the prenatal and postnatal period affect the development of pre-reading skills and reading acquisition in the school age. It emphasizes the importance of the story contents comprehension and the possibility of retelling it before accessing the process of reading acquisition. On this basis, the stages of reading comprehension are listed. It also explains the process of reading acquisition, which with most children begins with spontaneous play in pre-school age and ends in school age. The prerequisites important for reading acquisition are explained in details, more precisely the child's sensitivity to words, syllables, rhyme and voices. Instructions are given on how to check whether pre-school conditions have been met and if not on how to improve them. The paper also deals with the importance of the child's environment in encouraging pre-reading skills, both in family and kindergarten environment. In the kindergarten environment, the emphasis is on the rich spatial environment and methodical procedures of the educator. Various games are listed that encourage pre-reading skills in an informal and entertaining environment. The practical part of the paper deals with the application of theoretical aspects to the methodical ones. An activity was carried out in a kindergarten where the story "Gruffalo" was read, followed by a conversation about the story. Furthermore, children were offered games that encourage pre-reading skills such as voice sensitivity and recognition of letters and words.