Reading to young children

Read, read to your children, how many times do you hear the importance of reading to your children starting at early age? Very often, the sooner you start the better are the chances your children will develop that love for books and literature.

Children need to have 1,000 stories read to them before they learn to read for themselves. Preschool children need 3 to 7 books read to them and at least they need to be exposed 3 to 5 new words each day. What other materials can you use to increase their vocabulary and spark their interest in reading and literature? You can use magazines, story books, catalogs, boxes, newspapers, sign and posters.

Your children are not enthusiastic about books? Make it fun! Create different environments to get the attention and interest of your children, involve them in getting the setting for the story. For instance, if you are reading a story about animals in the juggle, then find a spot in your backyard or a corner in your children's room for the setting, add stuff animals, pictures of animals and plants that you may find in magazines, move some of the fake plants you have in your house to the spot, or just make it cozy. Make fanny faces, use different tones of voice to imitate sounds and to make it more interesting. Before, during and after the reading ask children open-ended questions, these will increase their interest in the story, use their critical thinking and utilize and increase new vocabulary.

Reading is important for the development of the brain, socio-emotional skills, use and increase of new vocabulary words and the love for literature. When you read to children you are not only helping them to nurture the love for books, the desire to know, to explore and their literacy development but you are also providing your children with quality time.

Yulitza Aray