Fun Tips for Teaching Kids to Read!!

Instilling a love of reading at a young age is imperative to a child’s growth and learning habits. There are many steps that can be taken when teaching kids to read. The following tips make learning to read fun and easy for every child.

Engage Children with Words

The more a child is exposed to language, the easier reading will become. This can mean anything from singing, talking, cuddling or playing. Any way a child can be engaged with words aids the learning process.

A fun game to play involves shopping at the grocery store. Say something like, “we need apples, where are the apples?” The child will look around to find the apples, and this will help to broaden the vocabulary. You can then point these words out during reading sessions.

Even walking down the street can be a time for engagement. Point out a man running, or a woman gardening, or any activity that is happening. Always use descriptive words, as this will help with vocabulary development.

Sound out Words

Used in the context of reading, singing, rhyming, and talking, it’s important to bring to a child’s attention the sounds that letters make. Saying the sounds of letters can even be more important than learning the letter name. The letter name can sometimes get in the way of the sounds of the letter. Make sure to point out letter sounds when reading books or singing songs.

To go along with this theory, it is good to make sure a child knows the difference between the front and the back of the book, and where on a page to begin reading, and what to do when the end of a sentence is reached.

Be Persistent

If your child doesn’t want to read, or doesn’t seem ready, don’t push it. Any pressure can lead to turning a child off to reading completely. Try finding a book that relates to the child, maybe something about a favorite toy, or a favorite food or animal.

Read the book in an excited tone of voice while looking at the pictures. This will engage your child and make reading a fun activity.

Make a Game of it

Imaginative play is very important to the development of young children. Connecting books and reading with fun activities is a great way to spark interest and a lifelong love of reading.

Adding costumes to fit characters and making a play out of a book is a good way to get children involved in a story. Children’s Books Daily has a lot of great options for pirate stories for kids of all ages to get engaged in reading and playing.

Let the Child Choose the Book

Kids love to be in charge, and a great way to allow that is to let your child choose books that are of interest. Going to the library is a great way to let children choose as many books as is wanted without breaking the bank.

Read the Right Level of Book

Don’t pick books that are so overwhelming that your child will never want to read again. Choosing something that is too challenging will be sure to frustrate your child. Instead, choose for the reading level of your child as this will bolster confidence in reading ability.

Create a Welcoming Reading Area

Work with your child to make an area to read that she or he will want to hang out in. Put in cool lamps, rugs, posters, and items that are of interest. Setting the mood for fun around reading will continue to foster a lifelong love for books.

Go Beyond the Traditional

Reading an audiobook is another great way to engage children in reading. Listening is a gateway to learning volumes of new vocabulary and background knowledge about subjects. This can also aid your child in finding the magic of the story.

It is also important to note that reading books on tablets is another great way to get children engaged. Children are thrilled by the idea of trying out new technology, and sneaking reading in to this mix is a good way to get a child to read even for the little one who may be a little reluctant to do so.