Teaching a child to read can be very intimidating to some parents. Questions like, is my baby ready for it? Am I too eager to teach my kids the alphabet? How should I do it? Honestly, there is no right or wrong way. You can use flashcards to teach your baby simple words in as early as 3 months, or you can simply read books to them. There is no reason for you to fret about teaching your child how to read. It is a gradual process. And believe me, kids are like sponges. They just absorb everything you tell them so even if your children do not seem to pay attention to what you are teaching them, do not worry.
If you still do not know where to start, here is a breakdown of how to teach your child to read the easy way. By the way, these tips helped me to successfully combine educating my children to read and blogging for my favorite website.
Get an Early Start
Reading to your child can start whenever you can; the sooner the better. This means reading to your baby at an early age. In this way, you are not only encouraging your child to read, but you are also developing their love for books. Be consistent with your and your child’s reading schedule. Spend at least 20 minutes every day reading to your child. At this age, they will surely absorb every word and develop their vocabulary. They might not be able to utter the words right away, but as they get older, they will become more familiar with the words and alphabet, which is, of course, a good start in learning how to read. Additionally, as your kid gets older, make sure to adjust the books you are reading to them to match their age and challenge them a bit.
Be Interactive
Children have the very little attention span. Hence, you have to make sure that your reading time with your baby is interactive. This can be done by changing the tone of your voice, your pitch and making the reading time fun and entertaining. Children develop understanding, as they get older. You can test if your toddler is able to understand the book or the story by asking questions about the materials you are using to read to them. Ask your kids some open-ended questions that pertain to the story. These questions can be:
- Can you the see mother?
- What is the mother’s name?
- Did you like the story?
- Who is your favorite character?
In this way, you will be able to get the undivided attention of your kids. It will also encourage your kids, at a very young age, to think critically.
Provide Access to Books
Make sure that your kids have access to books. There is nothing better than giving your kids the freedom to choose and pick their own book any time of the day. This only shows that you support your kids’ quest to learning.
Be a Role Model to Your Kid
Undeniably, if you want your kid to learn to read and to develop a reading habit, all you have to do is set an example. Make sure that your kid sees you reading even just once a day. If you share your passion for reading and books with your kids, they will surely develop the same passion and love for books as well.
Book Picnic!
Who said books are boring? One of the ways to make sure that reading and books are fun and entertaining for kids is conduct a book picnic. Get together with your friends, with or without kids, in a park or even at home and do a regular book reading activity for everyone. Each meeting, a person, will be assigned to read his or her favorite children’s book in front of everybody. Talk about interactive storytelling! This is one way of promoting reading and socialization among kids at the same time.
Reading time with your kids can be challenging at times especially when the kids are not in the mood for it. But as you develop a habit and a routine for you and your kids, you can expect the following:
- Your kids will develop an interest and love for books.
- Their vocabulary will be elaborated at a young age.
- They can start reading on their own at a young age.
- Comprehension and critical thinking will be developed.
However, while it is good to teach your kids to read, make sure that they enjoy the experience. Challenging your kids is good but do not push them too hard. Keep the balance between learning and fun.
Bio:
Lucy Adams is an essay writer from http://buzzessay.com/. She’s a loving mother of two children. Lucy is always open to her readers, so feel free to supply her with your every idea! Fast response and high-quality research on agreed topic guaranteed!
