7 Every Day Ways to Help Kids LOVE to Read
August 12, 2014 |
| By Katy Miller |
Because reading likely comes second nature to you as an
adult, you may not realize that opportunities to help your child love reading
are all around you every day.
She can also mark the items off as you put them in the cart. Also try letting her pick products off the shelf by reading the packages. (Hint: our daughter also likes to use math by sitting in the cart, sorting what we are buying and giving us a count of each type of item.)
2 - Think about every retail establishment you go into. They all have some sort of sign on the door ? whether it?s the name of the business or a simple ?push/pull? directive ? that your child can practice reading.
3 - Of course, an easy outlet for every day reading is billboards and highway signs. If you?re sitting at a stoplight, take the
opportunity to ask your child to read a nearby billboard. If there is an image or photo with the ad
copy, ask your child to tell you how they think the concept of the photo
relates to the words on the billboard. Beware, of course, of risqué ads for
adult beverages and gentlemen?s clubs.
4 - Another idea for you: restaurant
menus! Think about all of the great new words she can learn, reading and
choosing which item to order. In the early stages of developing reading skills,
it helps if the menu has photos of dishes, which the child can use to identify
the word that relates to each photo. Who knew a trip to Denny?s could be a
teaching opportunity?
5 - Provided you are mindful of the content and amount of television programs you allow your
child to watch, there is plenty of great material to nurture a love of reading
in your little guy. In the morning, before school, we watch a PBS program or
two, all of which tend to incorporate reading skills.
6 - Another great way to help a child learn to read is to switch
on subtitles on your television and
watch a documentary or two on Discovery Channel. These are educational programs
and can help your child make the connection between a spoken word and its
spelling on screen.
7 - Also, you might be surprised to realize how many reading
opportunities your child can find while watching a ballgame on TV. Modern
televised features offer a wealth of onscreen text ? anything from players? names to
statistics, to results from other games ? all of which can give your kiddo
valuable reading practice and a greater understanding of the practical value of
literacy.
In all of these examples, push your child?s understanding of
the language. Don?t read for them; rather, help them sound out words carefully
and at their own pace. If they don?t know what a word means, try defining it
for them using a word they know . . . and then challenge them to spell that word!
So, start looking around now. I bet you?ll be surprised how much there is to
read all around you.
How are you promoting literacy in your home?
Katy Miller is the Director of Digital Marketing for Louisville-based, Atria Senior Living. She is a member of the Metro United Way Digital Engagement Council and studies emerging technology for the purpose of creating new ways of learning about, repositioning and changing public conversation about the process of aging.
In her spare time, Katy enjoys spending time with her husband and daughter, watching college sports, sewing and reading.
You can reach Katy at mesewgood@gmail.com and on Twitter at @MediaDarlingKM
Metro United Way
334 E. Broadway
P.O. Box 4488
Louisville, KY 40204-0488
502-583-2821
P.O. Box 4488
Louisville, KY 40204-0488
502-583-2821