Read to Me
Children of all ages need to
be read to daily. This shows your child how important reading is to you. Your
child also learns new vocabulary and begins to understand how the written word
is translated into a story. But, most of all, your child will enjoy being with
you!
What you'll need:
Favorite preschool children's book, such as The Very Hungry Caterpillar by Eric
Carle or Fireman Small by Wong Herbert Yee or books that are about something
that interests your child (your local children's librarian or bookstore
specialist can help)
A comfortable place for reading and cuddling
What to do:
To keep your child's attention and interest, try some of the read-aloud ideas
listed below.
Vary your voice for each character.
Whisper when the plot is building.
Ask your child questions that relate to the story.
Talk about the pictures.
Change the name of a character to your child's name.
With a familiar book, stop before the end of a sentence to let your child finish
the line.
Point to words as you read.
With a familiar book, change a few of the key items to see if your child catches
the changes. For example, change the wolf in Three Little Pigs to a dog or
change the pigs to cows. Children enjoy catching the switches and being included
in the joke.
After reading, extend the experience by doing something else related to the
story. For example, after The Very Hungry Caterpillar, ask your child to
remember something the caterpillar ate before he became a butterfly. Or, ask
your child what she would eat if she were a caterpillar. After Fireman Small,
visit the local fire station or review basic fire safety rules with your child.