In Prereading Skills for Toddlers, we talked about ways to prepare kids for rewarding experiences with books. But we must continue to promote an interest in print as our kids get older and other activities compete for their attention.
Provide a print-rich environment. Make sure your home is filled with age appropriate, high interest books, magazines, newspapers, and other items. Fill a small bookcase with children’s books and locate it in a prominent place in the home to convey the importance of literacy. Point out and read words in context, or where they exist in the world; on cereal boxes, signs, toys, product packages.
Make your own pictures. Read often to your child without having him look at the pictures. This forces your child to start creating pictures of the story in his own mind, a skill that has been linked to increased reading comprehension. This skill can be further enhanced by asking your child to describe the picture he “sees” in his mind when you read to him. Better still, have your child dictate short stories to you. Write each sentence on a separate piece of paper, bind them together, and then have your child “illustrate” his own book.
Model a love of reading. Often, when kids’ only exposure to reading is through school assigned novels and textbooks, they begin to see reading as a chore. When kids see you actively and joyfully engaged in reading, it sends a powerful message. Help them select high interest materials for their own pleasure reading. You can set up a “family reading night,” where everyone sits in their favorite chair and reads. Try out games or food you read about to help the stories come to life. Visit places that have connections with what you’re reading. You can even act out scenes from a favorite book. All of these type of activities help make reading come alive for kids.
Create a book club. Discussing what your children read helps them to stretch their brains. Develop good questioning skills to help them elaborate. Ask them to predict what will happen next. Ask them how they think characters are feeling, or what their motives were for certain actions. Ask what they would do in a similar situation. Have your kids write alternate endings. Take turns reading aloud and asking questions of each other. These skills help your child with the difficult task of dissecting meaning from print.
Journaling activities. Encourage your older child to reflect on her reading in written format. Offer one journaling question at a time: Talk about a time you felt the same way Amelia did in the beginning of the book. What do you think Amelia believes is the most important quality in a friend, and how do you know that? Ask her to cite examples, relate what she reads to her own experiences, and draw inferences and conclusions from the story.
You may also be interested in Fun Family Activities That Teach or Cyber Safety Tips for Teens.
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