One of the questions I’m asked most often by friends with younger children is: what can I do to help my little one become a strong reader? For today’s 5 for Friday I thought it would be great to share some of my suggestions with you!
- Turn on the closed captioning! Go to the settings on your TV & DVDs and turn on the closed captioning so that your little one can both see and hear the words at the same time. This is a tip I learned at Columbia University’s Teachers College. When you involve multiple senses, it makes it easier for something to “stick” in the brain. You can even turn on closed captioning/ subtitles with a lot of the streaming services:) Easy peasey!
- Make lists of things & post them where your children can see them. Create a “print rich” environment by having your child help you come up with items to put on a grocery list, for example. Write the words so your child can see them as one of you says them, then keep the list posted on a refrigerator or memo board in your child’s line of vision. Turn it up a notch by making a quick sketch or using a sticker of an item such as an apple next to the word “apple”.
- Along the same lines, you can label some items in the house that your child will see regularly. Take a piece of paper or a notecard and write “refrigerator” in clear printed letters and then tape this to your refrigerator. Do the same thing with a trash can, bookcase, etc. If you don’t want to stick these labels all over your house, label the bins where toys or small supplies go with words such as “legos,” “doll clothes,” “animals,” etc.
- Make books and items with letters easily accessible. Have a bin (or bins) full of books out around the house so your little one can easily grab them. The more she is exposed to print/words, the better! You can achieve something similar with having magnetic letters, alphabet blocks, or alphabet pieces out for her to play with.
- Of course, the best way for your child to become a reader is by being exposed to reading! Read to and with your child as much as possible! If you do nothing else, make it part of your morning or nightime routine to curl up together with a book. Make sure your child can see the words/pictures on the page as you read them aloud. One of my absolute best memories is of my mother bundling my older sister and I into her bed every night and she would read to us: Miss Nelson books, Dr. Seuss, Strega Nona, Barbapoppa…..to this day both my old sister and I are HUGE readers!
Feel free to reach out with questions or comments! I am more than happy to provide additional ideas and resources to help you implement these ideas for your blossoming reader!!
