Teaching your child to read isn’t always easy – but a little encouragement can go a long way.
As you begin to get your kids ready to head back to the classroom, consider signing them up for the National Reading Challenge, a six week program that begins today and aims to get your child excited about reading.
“We want people to begin the journey to becoming great readers,“ PBS personality and campaign spokesperson Miss Lori told People Magazine. “If you can step into the beginning of the school year on a solid foot, it will really help your child as time goes on.”
Sponsored by Reading Eggs, the challenge hopes to reach 50,000 families by the end of September.
Parents can register their 3 – 7 year old children on the Reading Eggs website, where they’ll gain access to reading tools and games.
What else can you do to get your child interested in reading? Miss Lori shares a few tips below:
Lead By Example
Read in front of your kids, not just to them, Miss Lori says. “And it doesn’t have to be a book – it can be a magazine, periodical or story printed from the internet.” The point is, parents should show their children that reading is important. Lori suggests “keeping reading material with you on the go and around the house, in case you ever have a moment to fill.”
Make A Special Reading Space
Carve out a reading corner in their bedroom, the family room, or living room, Lori says. It will become a place for them to share their thoughts with you, or to simply relax by themselves.
Don’t Set A Time Limit
“Life doesn’t necessarily fit around a 20-30 minute window, and parents shouldn’t feel guilty for that,” Lori advises. Read what you can, when you can. Find a time to read with your kids that works for the family – either before dinner, after homework, or in the morning. Don’t feel that reading must be done just before bedtime.
Start Early
It’s never too early to start reading to your child! “I read to my children when they were in the womb,” she says. Reading to infants – in a soothing tone of course – can be a great opportunity to begin a new family tradition.
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