Imagine your child is five and entering kindergarten. His teacher says, "We've assessed Johnny and we think he'll be reading within a few months." Sound like great news? It is! Nowadays many children begin reading this early (and some earlier) because of what parents and preschool caregivers are doing. And none of it is hard! Here are some easy ideas that will do wonders for helping your little one onto the reading path. From the time your infant is born, read every day. Begin with simple ABC books and rhymes. Reading Reason: Your child gets used to the feel of your lap and sound of your voice, which builds positive attitudes toward reading and a feel for language and letters. Talk to your child a whole lot! It’s important that you not use a lot of baby talk, just talk normally. Reading Reason: Children learn language by listening to others. The more they hear, the faster they’ll learn words and correct word and sentence formation. Introduce your baby to the world. Take your baby to lots of different places: the park, grocery store, a local farm or state park, your local library, the county fair. Reading Reason: By going to and talking about many places, children learn basic concepts such as colors, farm animals, fruits vs. vegetables. Later, these words will be easier to read because your child will recognize them as he or she sounds them out. Even math will be easier, because language won’t get in the way of adding cows and subtracting bananas! Learn to slow down. On walks, take your time. Help your child notice sounds you hear. Reading Reason: By noticing sounds, especially soft, subtle sounds, children learn how to listen carefully. Because words are made of individual sounds, learning to read requires careful listening. Encourage writing. When your child is old enough to hold a crayon, encourage lots of writing. Reading Reason: There’s a lot to learn when it comes to learning to read—following from left to right is just one! When your child points to his squiggles and calls that writing, that’s okay! Your little one has discovered that writing looks different than drawing.
That’s it for now. Remember to read together today!
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