Reading is a fun way to sit with your child as they learn how to put words together and follow their first steps to writing, listening and speaking. For parents, reading should be a fun way to strengthen your bond with your child and prepare them for their first English lessons. Here are some top tips to start reading with your child from a girls school in Surrey.
Make sure your child has their undivided attention
Looking to sit with your child and start reading? It’s best to pick a time when your child’s not tired, hungry or feeling unwell. It should also be a place free of distractions to help them have their full focus on you and what you’re doing.
Make reading interactive
Be prepared to make noises and have a bit of play time as you read to keep your child enticed. When you’re reading a book about farm animals for instance, ask your child to make a noise of a duck, cow, sheep as they’re found in the story. Ask your child if they know how these farm animals act and see if they can mimic their actions.
Rhyming is another way to involve children in the process. When you come to an easy-to-say word like ‘mat’, for example, ask them to tell you other words that rhyme with that word. You’re now testing their memory and skills as through reading, giving them another way to learn.
Pretend to be like the reader
Sit with your child and point to the words as you’re saying them – show them how to say words and repeat them. Say each letter if they’re hard for your child to pronounce and use similar sounding words to help them practice. If you reach a moment in the story where you can relate to a time that happened in your life, then ask your child if they can remember that time. The little things that get your children enticed will make them enjoy reading time and form a stronger connection to you at the same time.