Things You'll Need:
- easy to read books
- library card
- quiet time
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Step 1
Choose a quiet time and place. This is important in effort to reduce distractions for you and your child. Maybe cuddle up on the couch, or snuggle up to a bunch of pillows on the bed. Turn off the tv and do not be distracted by the telephone.
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Step 2
Pick a book or two that is of interest to you child. If reading to a young toddler, choose a book with a lot of colors, but not a lot of words. If you choose a book that contains too many words, your young child will quickly loose interest, no matter what the book is about.
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Step 3
Ask your child questions for them to have participation with reading. For young toddlers, if you are reading a book that talks about colors, ask them to point out certain colors around the house or the room. (Ex. The house in the story is blue. Do you see anything in the room that is blue?)For preschool children, broaden their imagination by placing them in the story. (Ex. The man is flying the airplane. What would you do if you would be flying the airplane?)
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Step 4
Point out certain words in the book and help your child to recognize them. If you are reading a book about pizza, teach your child to recognize the word "pizza". When you are driving through town, point out pizza restaurants and ask your child to find the word "pizza" on the storefront sign.By teaching your child word recognition and word association, reading the word phonically will come easier as time goes on.
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Step 5
By reading your child books with rhyming words (like Dr. Seuss classics), you are teaching your child to recognize rhyming words. When looking at a picture book that does not contain words, allow your child to tell the story of what is going on in the pictures. This is a great way to promote your child's thinking skills and imagination. Always encourage your child to use their imagination. When your child captures the joy of reading, he or she will appreciate good books, and then they will discover the importance of reading.
