Make Learning To Read Fun For Your Child

Author: Elaine Mak

Teaching your child to read can seem like a daunting task but it need not be. Children pick up reading the same way they learn to talk, by being around people who engage in the activity. The important thing is to start early and to be consistent. That means you should have a fixed time every day to read to your child. The most appropriate time to teach a child is just before bed. If that is not possible for some reason, the other important key is frequency and fun. Make the reading activity fun and use quality children’s books with interesting pictures to grab their attention. So when should you start reading to your young children? As soon as possible! Here are some tips to make reading fun and engaging for your child; 

The Use of Music

There have been much research and it is still ongoing, on the positive effects of music. Depending on the type of music and the situation, it has the ability to release adrenaline or endorphins, causing excitement or relaxation. Just like a gentle lullaby you sing to a baby to lull him to sleep. On the flip side, a catchy tune can have your child swaying and dancing, prancing to the lively tune and beat. Good music can also enhance a child’s learning ability. In the beginning, she will begin by imitating musical sounds. Later on she will be able to identify where the sound is coming from and what to expect next.

Music has long been used in therapy and a lot of research has been conducted in many universities on its curative effects. More and more school teachers are using appropriate background music to help students concentrate and studies have linked music to enhanced language abilities. You can tell stories with the help of a toy instrument like a drum or a Xylophone. It can enhance the reading experience and bring more life to the story. Certain story lines can also have a musical tone to it.

For example, in the story, the Three Little Pigs, you can add a musical touch to the line “I’ll huff and puff and blow your house down”, by singing it instead of just reciting it You can add a little musical touch to any line that has a certain level of drama and emotion attached to it. This will bring your story telling up a notch and stimulate the child’s senses.

Be Prepared For Questions

As soon as your child learns to talk, she will soon be asking you many questions. Soon to follow will be a deluge of questions of every conceivable nature, sometimes driving you crazy. However, this is a natural part of her mental growth and an indication of her eternal quest for knowledge. You should answer the questions as simply and completely as possible.

However, if you don’t have the answer, tell your child honestly that you don’t know the answer but you will find out and come back to him or her. It would be a good idea to follow up with action by having your child look up the answer with you and then read the information back to your child. Encourage your child to ask questions by giving him or her your full attention. This will generate eagerness to learn reflected from your enthusiasm. Your child is demonstrating a healthy sign which is asking questions about the world around her in order to thrive.

Vocabulary Building

It is important for a child to develop her vocabulary because this will stimulate her desire for learning. Words are tools to help her express herself clearly and it adds to her learning and reading pleasure. There are many interesting, fun ways to build up a child’s vocabulary. Every day life offer many opportunities to build your child’s vocabulary. Encourage your child to talk about what she sees.

When she sees a dog or a cat, ask her about the size and color of the animal. What sound the animal is making. On some of your outings, pick up a rock or a shell together and talk about its shape, size, color and how it feels. Window displays are good sources of new words. Billboards, magazines, newspapers and supermarkets are other good sources for your little child. Learning new words build up super-thinking abilities.

The child will soon be able to move from woof-woof to dog, Labrador or Poodle to Canine. As she learns a new word, it will help her to express herself better and make her want to learn more and more new words. This is the magic of learning that is fun and effective. Our everyday life is full of effective, vibrant, educational possibilities for your little one to learn and discover. 

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About the Author
Occupation: Child Development Consultant
Elaine Mak is an early child development expert and has created a new program to help your young child learn reading and math at an early age. To get a free preview, please visit http://www.teachmybaby.com