Reading is a gateway to discovering new worlds, ideas, and experiences. Children who enter the public-school system with strong reading skills have an advantage. Reading skills help children develop cognition, language, and memory skill sets that are vital to success in school and life.
Many parents and teachers help their children learn to read in preschool for these reasons and many more. Here are seven great resources to help you set your preschooler on the road to early reading:
1. Rhyming Books
One of the best early predictors of reading success is how well your child knows nursery rhymes by heart. According to The Measured Mom, rhyming helps children understand language and sounds, develop cadences in speech. When they use a rhyming book, they anticipate the words, which helps them begin to recognize words by sight and predict words by context.
2. Fry Sight Words
The Fry Sight Words list includes the 1,000 most common words in the English language. The list is broken into ten 100-word lists, starting with the easiest words on the first list. You can purchase or make flyers, posters, and flashcards to post around your house or make a game to play together.
3. Sensory Experiences
When you help your child engage their touch, smell, or hearing senses along with language and literacy exercises, they are more likely to absorb and remember the new information they are learning. Here are some activities that will get all five senses in the game.
4. Board Games
Make reading a family affair with fun and engaging board games! Games make learning more fun, and when kids see their family getting into it, they’re more likely to want to participate and learn as well. Check out these pre-reading board games the whole family will love.
5. Reading Apps
Your preschooler probably knows how to use their smartphone or tablet better than you do, so make it productive time with these pre-k reading apps. Kids will have fun and learn valuable skills with these parent-approved products.
6. Limit Screen Time
Speaking of screen time, too much can have detrimental effects on kids’ cognitive development. Check out this article for guidelines and suggestions for keeping screen time-limited without a meltdown.
7. Visit Your Local Library
Libraries are magical. Many libraries have children’s play areas, free and age-appropriate events, and resources for community programs that might benefit your family. But the best part is you and your little ones can explore scores of books at their reading level. Kids feel empowered and excited about reading when they have agency in choosing their materials. And don’t forget – library books are free to check out!
Teaching your preschooler to read seems like a daunting task, but with these seven resources, it can become an exciting adventure for your whole family. Remember to have fun, be patient, and enjoy every word!