It’s never too early to fall in love with reading. Help your little
bookworms develop a lifelong love of reading with these simple tips.
Read together every day
Encouraging a love of reading begins with making reading part of your
everyday life. Children love to snuggle on the couch and listen to a
good story. In fact, they may enjoy hearing their favorites over and
over again. Don’t worry! This isn’t a waste of your time, even if you
think your ears may bleed if you have to listen to
The Cat in the Hat
one more time. Repetition is a natural part of learning and helps
reinforce your preschooler’s comprehension and vocabulary building.
Choose a wide range of books to read to your child from nursery rhymes
and timeless classics to lift-the-flap and touch-and-feel stories. The
more you and your child interact with the book, the more everyone gains
from the experience.
Play pre-reading games
Help your little ones get excited about reading by playing
pre-reading games together. You can play some of the excellent
store-bought games available like Cariboo, Zingo or Very Silly
Sentences. Or make up your own games with alphabet puzzle cards, foam
letters, lacing letters, alphabet magnets and more! Little children
learn the most when they can get their whole bodies involved in the fun
so try activities that keep them moving. Hide alphabet cards around the
house and give your preschooler five minutes to find a group of letters.
Draw your names in the sandbox. String necklaces with letter beads and
name the letters as you go. Your kids will have so much fun, they won’t
even realize how much they’re learning!
Write stories together
Spark your child’s creativity and encourage a lifelong love of
reading by helping your little ones write their own storybooks. Children
are the most creative storytellers, so grab the crayons and paper and
let the fun begin. If your child is too young to write the story him or
herself, have your child dictate the words while you write them down.
Afterwards, let him or her illustrate each page with colorful drawings.
Make sure to bind the story when you are finished (staples or ribbon
will do the trick!) so that you can read it again and again.
Show your love of reading
Children learn best by example. At this age, they are like sponges
absorbing the world around them. Want to teach a love of reading? Model
the behavior yourself. Show your children how much fun reading can be by
spending some of your free-time curled up with a good book or magazine.
Use your public library
Libraries have come a long way since our childhood. Nowadays, the
children’s section in your public library is as entertaining as your
local play area. With so many fun and educational toys, puzzles, books
and games, your children will love coming to the library. Be sure to
take advantage of storytime where your children will hear new stories,
sing songs and do crafts. Afterwards, give your preschooler his or her
own book bag to fill to the brim with new reading treasures for the week
ahead.
Establish a family read-aloud
Bring the magic and power of literature into your home. Instead of
turning on the boob tube at night, try establishing a family read-aloud.
Little ones can play with Lego blocks or draw pictures while they
listen, while older children may enjoy just focusing on the story.
Consider picking longer chapter books so that your kids will look
forward to a new installment each night.
GoodReads has an excellent selection of fun family read-alouds that everyone in your family will enjoy.
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