Get The Most Out Of Reading Time: 5 Fun and Easy Steps

Experts say that you should read to your kids for 20 minutes a day. It is one of the best ways to help your child love reading.

Even holding a book and helping turn the pages  helps kids develop literacy skills.
Photo credit: Ambro

20 minutes a day. That’s 2 hours a week. That’s 5 whole days of reading per year.

Any reading you do with your child is great. But today’s post will show you how to help your child get the very most out of reading time. Every time!

Reading to your child: The Early Years

The first thing you need to know is that it is never too early to start. Even if they are too young to follow the story, they can still learn new words and skills. This leads to higher intelligence -- both now and later in life.

As your child gets older, help them prepare for school. Preschools emphasize literacy skills like recognizing letters and knowing that words are units of letters separated by spaces.

Lots of parents assume that kids notice the text on their own. However, kids rarely look at text when adults read to them. So make comments and ask questions that help your child focus on the text. Try questions like:

And comments like:

Here are four more tricks you can use to draw your child’s attention to the words as you read:

1.     Move your finger below the words as you read. This lets your child “follow along” with you.

2.     Choose books with cool text. Look for different fonts, font sizes and text colors. Books with cartoons or thought bubbles also work well.

3.     Cuddle with your child as you read. This makes reading a warm and joyful experience, rather than a chore. This will have a lifelong impact on their feelings about reading.

4.     Use your voice to bring the story to life! Use different voices for different characters. Find rhythms and patterns in the story. Be loud at the loud parts, and quiet at the quiet parts.

Growing With Your Child: 

 As your child gets older,  you should begin to emphasize prediction. Prediction is a crucial reading skill starting in kindergarten. Give your child a head start through reading time. Pause before, during and after reading. Ask your child questions about the book. Focus on what they think will happen. For a list of good questions to ask about reading, click here.

Don’t be afraid to ask follow-up questions. Sometimes a child’s prediction might seem wrong to you. But if you ask them to explain their thought process, you might be surprised at the details your child noticed!

Even as your child develops into an independent reader, they might still enjoy when you read to them. They may even want to read to you! And this is great! You can continue to share good books, conversations and cuddles together, while improving reading, critical thinking and perspective taking skills.

Parents: What tips do you have for reading to/with your kids?