Have you ever wondered how to assist your child in becoming a reader? It really isn’t that difficult, but it does take some effort on your part. Children pattern after their parents, they strive to become like their parents from they are born. As a parent it is important for your child to observe you reading, a book, magazine, Sunday comics, it really doesn’t matter. If observing a parent reading is a daily occurrence, then the child begins to pattern after the parent picking up reading material and sometimes pretending to read.
Exposing children to literature not only encourages reading, but it actually teaches your child grammar, punctuation, sentence structure, paragraph formation and the actual progression of a story of beginning, middle and ending. It is amazing how a child will start to verbalize what they are hearing, connecting the pictures on the page to the words they are hearing read to them.
If you are wondering when to start reading to your child, the answer is in utero. When the child is still in the womb you can read a children’s book which often have rhyming phrases, this sing song way of reading a story can be relaxing to your unborn baby. Continue to read to your child until they are no longer interested. You will be surprised that even older children enjoy hearing you read classics as a family, taking turns reading books like Heidi.
One book which is often used with a very young child, ages 1 – 5 years old is Brown Bear by Eric Carle. This book is easily accepted by children as they learn or should I say memorize the words and pictures on the page. You will eventually find the child ‘reading’ the book to you as the pictures and their memory allow them to believe they can actually read. Thinking you can is the first step to becoming a reader.
Visit your local library and allow your child to visit the children’s section. Check the web site for the story time hours that are offered. You won’t want to miss all the stories and activities that the public library has to offer.
Children’s Book Review
Title: Brown Bear Author: Eric Carle
This book is a must for the very young child. The words are rhyming words recited in a sing song fashion. Each page asks a question, with the answer colorfully displayed on the next page. If the answer is red bird, the next page has a large, red bird for the child to see. This allows a child to think, plan and guess the answer. The child begins to recognize various animals as well as colors. Children easily memorize the questions and answers and feel pride when they can recite it to the adult.
This book is available in cardboard for the very young as well as regular hard cover and paper stock depending on the age of the child.
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