Tips for Reading to your Kids

Published: April 4, 2016

You can encourage a love of reading in your children at home and on the go.

 

At home:

• Find a cozy spot in the house with plenty of light to read to your child.
• Set a special time each day to read for at least 15 minutes with your child. This could be in the afternoon after your child comes home from school or right before bedtime. Be sure, even as your children get older to have them read for 15 – 30 minutes per day.
• With younger children, take some time to first go through the book and look at the pictures. Let your child make predictions about the story based on what they see. Then, when you read the story, your child can determine if they were right!
• If your child is an emerging reader, let them try and read the book to you. Help your child with words they may not know by showing them how they can sound out the letters of the word. Keep a list of new words your child learns and use them often.
• After reading a story talk to your child about the book.
  • Here are some great questions to ask and things to do:
    • What was their favorite part or character?
    • Ask questions about the beginning, middle or end of the story to check your child’s reading comprehension.
    • Make up an alternate ending to the story.
    • Have your child draw a new illustration to add to the book.
    • Continue the story…what would happen in 1 day, 1 week or 1 year from now to these characters?
    • Dress up like the character and act out the story

On the go:

• At the supermarket, have your child read the names of the aisles, the labels on the boxes or the specials. See who can find 5 things with chocolate as an ingredient!
• While in the car, have your child read you the street names as you go by or license plates of other cars while you are at stop lights.
• Play word games. Try to name as many words that start with the same letter as your name. Make bingo cards with words you may see while you are traveling. Then tick them off as you see them (tree, dog, ball, stoplight, etc) until someone gets BINGO!
• Before you go to the playground, write the names of the equipment on cards. Once you arrive, pick a card and play on that first.

Always encourage and praise your child for a job well done. Make sure you surround your child with books, so they always have the opportunity to start a new adventure and build a love for reading!