Reading to your son or daughter is always a great idea. Studies show that reading to your child actually changes their brain development, and for the better! Here are some tips to help your child grow no matter if they’re an infant, toddler, or preschool age!
Keep books within easy reach – Have bookshelves at your son or daughters eye level and rotate out new “featured” books occasionally to grab their attention. Keep books in your car for your child to browse and carry a few to look at during waits at the doctor’s office or on errands. Do this instead of handing them your phone or computer during these waits.
Make books a treat – Allow you child to stay up a few minutes late for you to read to them. Or offer a new book as an award for good behavior or just because.
Get involved – If your child likes a particular book or author, help him to find more books by that author at the library or recommend books that are similar. Tell him what books you liked when you were his age.
Read with your child – Read to your child and also with him by asking questions about the story as you read, asking him to try reading a word or more. Point out the illustrations and how they go with the story and expand on it.
Read everywhere – Don’t just read books to your child. Read wherever words are found, road signs, menus, boxes, and store signs. Put labels on household objects to help you child associate the word with the object.
Go to story times – Check out your local libraries, bookstores and museums and see when they have story times for children. Take your child so he can enjoy reading with a group of children.
