5 Activities To Work On Reading With Children – Being Parents
As parents, we have the possibility and the duty to collaborate with our children in all aspects of their education. Regular reading, while often underestimated, is very important. In this article, we offer you some activities to work on reading with children.
It is more and more common to see parents who take the fact that their children never read books lightly . And unfortunately, they can’t force them to do it.
However, they shouldn’t give up so easily. Of course, it is not a skill that conditions their chances of having “success” in their lives. But the reading is an ability and a habit that has many advantages. Especially if you practice it since childhood.
It is therefore necessary to make an effort as responsible adults. It is up to us to guide the little ones so that they discover the wonderful pleasure of reading a book. These reading activities with children can be very helpful to you.
5 activities to work on reading with children
Of course, there are also parents who worry when their children don’t like to read. For these and for any other parent, we have several alternatives.
All the activities that we will mention below require the participation of adults. This is a fundamental and essential aspect to motivate children to read and improve in this area.
1. Discuss what you read
Ask him to read a text and discuss with him the words he could read easily and those that caused him more difficulty. For example, if he read the word “bullet” easily, ask him how you identified it. You can then ask him what other words rhyme with this one and what letters he recognizes in its structure.
On the other hand, there will be those he has a little more trouble reading. A idez it to recognize each phoneme and associate with other words. And, if necessary, help it fully understand its meaning.
2. Night reading
It is a classic method, but perhaps one of the most effective for working on reading with children. This method consists of the following.
Before your child falls asleep , sit next to him and read at least a few paragraphs of a story he likes.
This will promote the creation of a habit that may persist or recover in the future. In addition, it represents an excellent moment of sharing between mother and child.
3. Reading comprehension activities
Although this is a very common method in the classroom, it can also be applied at home in a relaxed way. Indeed, you can try to make it as fun as possible. Thus, the child will think that he is playing, and not that he is working on one of his basic cognitive abilities.
Before you start reading a story – together – analyze the headline and discuss what might happen. As you go through the story, ask him what he thinks of each character, how he would act in that situation. You can also ask him questions about any detail that comes to mind. The important thing is to interact and test your thinking skills.
Finally, talk about the end of the story, how he would have ended it, and if he liked the story. Also, of course, try to get him to read as much text as possible.
4. Any supplement is useful
A central factor for your child who does not like to read may be that he or she finds it boring. Therefore, you must try to convince him otherwise.
So here are some ideas:
- Use different voices, costumes, or masks when reading a story together.
- You can also use puppets or jumping jacks to dramatically represent a story they have read.
- Add additional activities related to the book. For example, if it’s a story with animals, take it to the zoo. If it has to do with a sport, go to the park to practice it the next day.
- Go to the library or bookstore together, for him to relate to the environment and choose new stories.
- If he’s already tall and comfortable, consider taking him to a bookstore.
If you take these steps, your child will stop seeing reading as something that forces them to shut themselves up and spend time alone. He will understand that reading is much more than that. And that, therefore, it is worth trying and seeing what it is.
5. A letter to the author of his favorite book
If your child enjoys a particular story and the author is contemporary, it might be a good idea to write them a letter. In it, you can tell him what he liked about the book, who the kid’s favorite character is and even ask him questions. For example: what is the reason for each of the actions that make up the work?
For the child it will be something very new and interesting. This may stimulate his interest in other similar work. You can do this by using social media or doing it the old-fashioned way and sending a letter to the editor for delivery to the writer.
Reading activities with children are primarily aimed at arousing their interest in books. It doesn’t matter if they read well or poorly. If they enjoy these activities, over time and with your help, they will learn. However, if they are not motivated and do not have an example to follow at home, they will not be interested in this activity.