All parents want their children to experience success in life. Achieving literacy is crucial to our kids’ future well-being. As parents we play a crucial role in our children’s successful reading development. What can we do to help our beginning readers achieve success? Fortunately, you don’t have to be a reading specialist to help your little one become a champion reader. Red Apple Reading has 5 simple tips for parents who wish to nurture their little one’s literary development.
- Relax! –Children can sense when their parents are stressed. Remember not all kids learn to walk and talk at the same time and they certainly don’t learn to read on the exact same schedule. So take a deep breath and remind yourself that your kiddo will one day be reading independently.
- Set the Example – One of the best ways to cultivate a love of reading in our children is by setting a good example. Kids who see their parents reading on a regular basis are more likely to value the written word themselves. If you want your child to be a reader, make sure you are reading too!
- Have Fun – If you want to discourage your kiddo as he learns to read, do your best imitation of a drill sergeant! Reading should be fun and happen naturally as you go about your day. While quizzing your kids can be beneficial at times, make sure the majority of reading practice is done in a fun way. See below.
- Play with Sound – Before children can learn to read, they have to learn that spoken words are made up of individual units of sound. So playing with sound is an important part of helping your child become a reader. Getting your kid to break down a word into its different sounds and playing with rhyming words are both great ways to help your child become a reader.
- Read to Them – Reading regularly to your child encourages her to become an independent reader. In an article for Reading is Fundamental, Bernice Cullinan and Brod Bagert say that, “When the rhythm and melody of language become a part of a child’s life, learning to read will be as natural as learning to walk and talk”. So think of reading to your kiddo as a win-win: they are learning and you are getting some cuddle time!
It doesn’t take a degree in education to qualify parents to be reading teachers. With a little intentionality we can raise budding readers who will one day blossom into independent readers. If you want to give your kid an extra boost, check out Red Apple Reading’s online reading videos and games. Your child will love playing the fun reading games and you will love the extra help your little one gets learning to read!
