Reading to your child

Teaching your child to read is the single most important thing that you can do as a parent. Having to raise a energetic almost six year old boy, I have learned some games that work wonders with reading. Oddly enough, it is also one of the easiest things we can do, if we harness the power of a child's natural inclination to want to play. Reading is often presented as something a child should do, as opposed to something they will like to do. So, how do we do it? We use games to teach our child to read and enjoy it..isn't simply that simple?

The first thing to remember is that everything does not have to be perfectly structured. The urge to read is what we are trying to build in our child, and the ability to read will come along in due time. That said, we should try to find ways to make reading a fun and exciting thing for our child. Using games is a natural and easy way to accomplish this goal.

Here are few Great Games to have fun and to teach your child to read -

One of the earliest games that we can use to teach our child to read is a variation of the old scavenger hunts. Simply write down short, fun direction for your child on little slips of paper. These might include "hop", "skip", or something similar. Then take the slips of paper and hide them throughout the house or yard for your child to search for. Once they locate the instructions, have them read and execute the directions. As the child's reading skills advance, so too can the directions.

A second popular reading game is memory based. This game is when you write down four words, and have the child read them out loud. Then you have the child recite the four words without looking. This can be a reward type game, or it can be just for fun. As the child advances, add new words. This not only helps your child to read, but it also helps you to build their memory skills.

The next popular game that can be used to teach your child to read is called the daily letter. Every single day, write your child a letter and leave it in the mailbox. It can be from the principle's office, yourself, the grandmom, superman, spiderman, or the neighborhood superhero, or anyone at all. These letters get to be a daily part of the routine that you take with your child, and they will gladly attempt to read something addressed directly to them. Tailor the letters to their reading level, but challenge their reading skills on occasion to help them to grow.

Another fantastic game to help your child learn to read is Kitchen helper. If you write down the cooking directions for supper each night, then they can read them off to you and help you in the kitchen. This builds great confidence and it can even teach them to cook over time. They will have to learn about measurements, numbers, addition, reading skills, and even temperature and time readings. This has obvious benefits for your child's learning skills.

Teaching our child to read through the use of games is an easy, fun thing that we can do as a Parent. It is our responsibility to give our children a head start on school, and the ability to enjoy reading is a gift that will give forever.