Why Read To Your Young Children?

• It is a great way to help your child become a good student and a good reader.
• Helps to build your child’s vocabulary, language reasoning and listening skills.
• It is fun for you and your child!

How Should I Read To My Child?

• Pick a book intended for your child’s age. Books for infants include textures, colors and words for simple objects. Babies can learn very early that turning the page of a book is a great experience, laying a powerful part of the foundation for reading. Ask your librarian or child care provider for help in picking a good book to read with your child.
• Set aside a reading time that is good for you and your child. By doing this you are sending the message that reading is important.
• Use a comfortable place, one where your child can snuggle against you while you read.
• Glance through the book before you try to read it to your child. You need to have a general idea about the story and the pictures.
• ”Ham it up”- you want to involve the child in the story, not just read the words.
  
  

Suggestions:

• Use different voices as you read what the characters say and “act out” what they seem to be doing or feeling as you read.
• Show your child the pictures and ask questions or talk about the pictures.
• Ask the child what sounds the characters and objects in the story would make.
• Stop at key points during the story to ask the child what he/she thinks will happen next.
• Ask the child whether he’s ever seen or thought or heard something like the events being described in the story. Or ask him to act out being happy, scared, sick or whatever the story includes.
• Later on talk about the book you read together. For example, look for a boy wearing the same color shirt as the character described in the story or make up another story together about the characters in the book.
• In Short, encourage your child to THINK and to INTERACT right along with the story and with you.
• Books are meant to stimulate thinking and imagination. Enjoy giving a free rein to imagination-yours and your child’s!

Adapted from: Stevens, C., National Association for Regulatory Administration (no date). How to read to young children. Available from: http://www.nara-licensing.org/cctiphowtoread.htm

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