There’s no greater feeling in the world than opening up a book and instantly getting lost in another time or place. Because of all the amazing resources available to your youngster reading has never been more fun. But to get your children interested in reading, it’s important to begin introducing reading in a fun, exciting and interactive way. Here are some special ways to make sure your children learn to read, love to read and continue to read for many years to come.
Read Every Night
You’ve heard it time and time again but the truth is that the best way to get your child to read is to actually start reading to them from a young age. It’s a great way to bond with your little one and ensure that you spend a few moments together each day just one on one. Listening and responding to your child each night will give them security and confidence. Both building blocks for helping your child learn later on. Your child will begin asking questions about the books, begin to pick out their favorite book to read and eventually begin memorizing and understanding the world within the story.
Focus on the Big Picture
When it comes to reading, parents sometimes zero in on just memorizing the letters and letter sounds. Be careful to make sure you’re focusing on the bigger picture when it comes to reading. Recent research shows it may be even more important to understand the story and comprehend what characters are feeling than to just be able to straight memorize words. When introducing a book to your children, make sure to talk about the characters, the setting and the choices that happen within the story. All of these things combine to help children understand that an apple isn’t just a word, but it’s actually a fruit, it can be used in different ways and it can be representative of school or of a season, like fall.
Make the Alphabet Fun
When the Phoenicians were developing our language, they took into account how everything would blend together when we spoke. Taking the time to explain each separate letter and how it ties into your child’s everyday life can make a big impact on how your child learns to read. For more awesome ways to teach the alphabet, check out .
Read Any and Everything!
Learning to read doesn’t begin with a book alone, but instead, with the world around you. Read magazines, recipes, road signs, brand names on foods and more! Use everything around you as a teaching tool to introduce reading. Play board games and do puzzles as a way to connect the mind and body and improve retention. By making these real world connections, your actually providing the building blocks to language learning.
Visit the Library
Local libraries are just plain awesome. With special programs for children several times during the week and with whole book sections devoted solely to children, the library provides a fun and safe space for every child. As soon as your child can understand, get them a library card and explain to them what it means to borrow a book. Not only will they be introduced to an endless supply of their favorite books, they’ll gain independence and learn life skills. Visiting the library at a young age will help instill that positive love of learning and make it easier to read in the long run.
Embrace Online Reading
Today, it’s easier than ever to teach your child to read and most of the credit goes to the advancements we’ve made in modern technology. With reading apps and websites that help guide your child as they meet developmental goals that help with reading. Not only will your child be playing and having a great time, he’ll also be learning at a warp speed.
Partner with Schools
Your school and your child’s teacher is the best way to help develop language skills. If your child’s teacher sends home a weekly spelling test or asks you to become a member of an online learning system, you should agree. If your school has a “Read 25 books” drive, you should shoot to read even more. Though some tasks like staying on top of homework or waking up early for extra tutoring session can be horrific, they will all get better with time.
Have Patience
Research shows that your child may not even begin to want to read until age 5. Though you may think that intense drills and hours of homework are the answer to teaching your child to read, you’d be wrong. There’s nothing wrong with a child that learns to read later on and studies show it’s much more important for a child to learn to comprehend a story than to read the words. If you do your part to help introduce language, your child will get the hang of it. Learning to read is a complex system that takes time and patience from everyone involved. If you begin talking about your daily activities as you go about them, your children will be more inclined to listen to sound and organize their day accordingly. All of this one-on-one time helps build the connections in your child’s brain that will one day click and embrace reading full-on. Make reading a priority now so that you can set up your child for a lifetime of traveling anywhere their heart desires. Happy Reading!
