Taking time to read daily with children prepares them for success in school and in life. Reading is recognized as the most fundamental skill that children can possess. Almost 85 percent of all material presented to students is in written format, according to The Children's Reading Foundation. Reading aloud stimulates growth in the brain. There is not a wrong way to read together as long as the experience is a good, happy one. Reading builds strong relationships, strong minds and a strong foundation for the future.
Step 1
Schedule an appointment to read with your children. Scheduling a time for this activity shows that it is important and allows you to have a time set aside that will not get eaten up by the many other day-to-day activities.
Step 2
Find a comfortable place free of distractions. Turn off the TV, cell phones and any other device that might distract you from this personal time with your children. Let your children understand that they are important to you and that reading is important. This is done by giving your children all of your attention for this short period of time.
Step 3
Read aloud for 20 minutes a day to your children. Why 20 minutes? By doing the math we can see that reading 20 minutes a day for 30 days gives you 600 minutes of reading per month. Multiply that number by 12 months and you have 120 hours of reading time per year. When 120 hours is multiplied by 5 (the number of years a child can be read to before Kindergarten) you have 600 hours of pre-kindergarten reading. This is the recommended number of hours for literacy preparation.
Step 4
Use age-appropriate techniques. For infants up to 18 months choose brightly colored books with simple illustrations. Snuggle while you read, tell them you love them, use eye contact, and don't rush through the book. Talk to your infants and point out the objects and colors in the books. Be positive. Toddlers 18 months to 3 years need to be involved in the experience. Ask them questions about the book, listen to their responses, give them time to respond, smile and relax. At this age, reading time might need to be broken up into smaller segments because toddlers are so active. Choose informational and repetitive books. Children 3 to 4 years old will respond to books with numbers, colors and shapes. Talk about the books' characters, ask who, what, when, why and how questions, and explain the books' meaning. At age 4 your children will start to like certain types of books and may want to hear their favorites time and time again.
Tips and Warnings
- A nonreading adult can participate in reading to children by telling stories of their youth and making up stories to go along with the pictures in the book.
References
- The children's Reading Foundation: Research
- Brain Development in Young Children: New Frontiers for Research, Policy and Practice, University of Chicago, June 1996; White House Conference on Early Childhood Development and Learning, April 1997.
- Anastasia Suen: Read with your Child 20 Minutes a Day
