Reading with Your Children

What are your earliest reading memories? You likely learned to read so long ago that you don't remember the details. One of my most pleasant memories with reading is when my dad read The Hobbit out loud to me, even though I was old enough to read it myself. Here are several ways to foster good reading skills and enjoyment of the written word.

Reading with your child- Babies

Once your baby is old enough to sit up supported by you, they are old enough to look at a sturdy picture book with you. Let them turn the pages however they want. After a while, they will let you look at each page, and talk about the pictures. Board books are great for this age, and should be small enough for small hands to hold.

Reading with your child- Toddlers

Toddlers who have gained enough patience to look at each page for a few seconds will enjoy hearing you talk about the picture, and will begin to respond to questions such as "Do you see the dog? He looks happy, doesn't he?" Don't worry too much about what the book actually says at this point. Engaging your child with the ideas and pictures is the important part here.

Reading with your child- Preschool

When your child approaches two to three years old, they will begin to enjoy hearing the same story over and over. This is a beginning skill for learning to read. Older toddlers love to memorize. They will memorize the signs for the places you go such as how the big golden M means McDonalds. Look for books that rhyme, such as Dr. Seuss, or nursery rhymes. You could even create a book with card stock for some of their favorite songs, such as "Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star".

Reading with your child- Early reader

Between the ages of four and six, most children begin reading easy words. They will enjoy listening to you read as they follow along. It can help to use your finger to point to the words as you read them. Depending on their confidence and skill level, you could try switching off pages. You read one page; your child reads the next. Don't be afraid to read aloud to your child from a book that has a skill level beyond what they are able to read. As you read an advanced story, be sure to ask and answer questions. Don't just tell your child what something means, ask if they have an idea first. Taking this approach will encourage them to think. If they don't have any idea, you can try to suggest meanings.

Reading with your child- Confident readers and preteens

After your child has learned to read with confidence, and can even read whole stories to you without assistance, they will still enjoy listening to you read. Even ten year olds can be convinced to broaden their literacy horizons when read to in an engaging manner. If a book tends to have difficult words, try to show your child not to get caught up in them. Finish the sentence, and then think about what the word might have meant. Still don't have a clue? Keep a decent dictionary handy for looking up unusual words.