1. Forget the words! Although the words in a story are important, sometimes it is equally important to step out of the box and discover new ways to read the story. Use the pictures to guide you to make up new parts of the story and encourage your child to do the same. Using the pictures alone is a great way to work on describing skills, inferencing, and sentence formulation.
2. Ask questions: At times we can be so focused on getting children to read, that we forget about the comprehension side of reading. Asking questions is a great way to work on comprehension and can be done in a fun and engaging way. After each page, ask 1 or 2 questions about what was happening on the page (and in the pictures!) Use a variety of questions about what has happened, why it happened, and what they think will happen next. It is never to early to start introducing this skill to even the youngest of readers. Model the correct answers until they can do it themselves!
3. Repetition: Don’t be afraid to read the same story over… and over… and over. Although they can get old for us adults, kids thrive on repetition. When they have heard a story and know what to expect, it allows them to feel confident so that they can work on some of the other skills previously described. This can also be a great tool for children who are just learning to talk. They will learn what comes next. Leave out repetitive words or phrases and encourage them to fill in the blanks. Encourage your older children to retell the story or “read” it themselves, even if they are not truly a reader yet. Instilling confidence in reading and a love for books is one of the greatest gifts you can give your child, as it sets a strong foundation for academic success.
“The more that you read, the more things you will know. The more that you learn, the more places you’ll go.” – Dr. Seuss