Wee Readers

You already know the benefits of reading regularly with your very young child, so maybe you are really good about making sure that you read to her every day. But maybe sometimes it feels a little forced or rushed. Maybe you get kind of bored with it and feel restless. Maybe some days you wish you didn’t have to read to her. These are times to step back, take a breather, and reassess.

Reading together is about building a foundation. It is about fostering a lifelong love of reading itself, so that your child will benefit throughout her life from all that being literate brings to bear. With that in mind, here are a few ideas to help make sure that reading with your very young child is a happy, relaxing time together.

Find a place that’s comfortable for both of you, and have alternatives at the ready. Sometimes a change in location is all it takes to freshen up the experience. If you normally read in her bed at bedtime, add an occasional story time in your backyard hammock or on a shady park bench. Have her sit on your lap in a soft chair or lie together on the floor.

Make sure you are both in the mood for reading. After a hectic day, you or your child may still be a little too wound up to sit still for a story. Wait a bit for things to calm down. This is supposed to be a struggle-free time! Spend a few minutes transitioning by talking together about what you did today. If that does not work, allow yourself to skip reading together once in a while. Trying anew tomorrow is much more reasonable than forcing it today.

Select books that interest her. Better yet, let her select the books (within reason). Rotate books you have available on her bookshelf; books that have been rotated out should be kept out of sight for a few weeks before they are brought out again to spark renewed interest.

Make sure that she can see the pictures clearly. Use your finger to point to objects being talked about in the story. Ask her questions, such as, “Where is the cat?” Give her enough time to think and respond. Prompt her with a hint if she seems to need help.

Be animated when reading. Use different tones of your voice for the different characters and do not hesitate to add sound effects! Some children do not like an overly dramatic interpretation, though, so be mindful of what works for your child.

Take advantage of teaching moments.  Relate something in the story to something personal. Point out letters or numbers to the youngest listeners. Have older toddlers and preschoolers find specific letters or numbers in the book, like the first letter of their name or their age. Or help identify something familiar, such as, “Her tricycle is pink, just like yours.”