Watching your little one learn to read is nothing short of magical. After the long journey of learning ABCs and letter sounds, you won’t believe the feeling of watching them read their first book to you. Getting there, however, can be a little trickier. Teaching your child to read can be a difficult process, but one of the most important learning objectives in their young lives.
Tips to Encourage Your Children to Read
When your child is learning to read, there are a lot of really easy things you can do in your everyday routine that positively contribute to their learning. First and foremost, it’s important to remember that teaching your child to read won’t happen overnight. It’s a slow process, with small skills building on each other over time.
When your child is learning to read, make sure you’re:
- Patient
- Engaged
- Encouraging and positive
Below are five easy ways to stay engaged, encourage your little one, and help your child learn to read before you know it.
- Read To Them Every Day
One of the easiest things to do to teach your child to read is to simply read to them and with them every day. Whether it’s a few bedtime stories or board books throughout the day, it’s an invaluable source of learning. Another positive thing you can do is make sure your children see you reading during your free time. Talk about what your favorite books are and how much you love reading; they’ll want to mimic that behavior and be just like their parents.
- Sing Your ABCs
It might sound silly or too easy, but singing your ABCs helps tremendously! Teaching your child to read is all about exposure, and this is a great start. You can even start this with infants and young toddlers, far before learning to read is a reality.
- Take Trips to the Library
Even if you only get out of the house once or twice per week, try to make one of those trips to the library. Most local libraries have tons of children’s programs like themed story times and special book selections. It’s a great way to get your little ones excited about picking out books!
- Listen to Podcasts and Audiobooks
One of our favorite secrets to helping children learn to read is listening to podcasts and audiobooks, and it’s also a wonderful substitution for screen time if you’re trying to cut back. Whether you’re getting things done around the house or hopping into the car for a drive, audiobooks are a great way to expose your kids to languages of all varieties. There are plenty of kid-friendly podcasts out there to choose from that will stimulate their minds and get them thinking.
- Buy Alphabet-Based Toys
Stocking up on Montessori-style alphabet-based toys is an effective way to introduce even infants and young toddlers to letters. As they’re playing with them, you can help them connect letters to words, saying things like “apple, art, and armadillo” when they pick up the letter A. If you don’t know where to start with alphabet toys, refrigerator magnets are always a hit!
When your children learn to read, a whole new world opens up. You’ll have the pleasure of listening to them rave about their favorite stories, all while knowing you have given them the greatest gift of all – a love of reading.