Tips to creating a richer experience when reading with your child

Tips to creating a richer experience when reading with your child

Reading books with your child is a wonderful activity to do together. This is also a great way to build your child’s language skills! Here are a few tips and ideas to encourage more language growth.

-Label and describe items on the page that you see and encourage your child to do the same. Talk about the actions, nouns, colors, shapes, etc (and include adjectives!) that are seen in the illustrations. This is great for expanding your child’s vocabulary.

-Ask questions to encourage story comprehension skills, such as WHO, WHAT, WHERE, WHEN, WHY, and HOW.

-During and after the story promote sequencing and re-calling skills by having your child re-tell story events.

-While you are reading with your child, before you turn to the next page, ask your child what they think will happen next. This will help strengthen predicating skills.

-Talk about the characters and their feelings/emotions. You can even talk about what clues (facial expression, body language, tone of voice) that made you think that.

-Model sounds and words from the book so your child can imitate by watching you. Be sure your child can see your face.

Remember you don’t need to do all of these activities at once! But most importantly have fun with your child and cherish these bonding moments!

Have fun!

-Kirsten