International Elf Service are experts in magical multi-award-winning storytelling and bring you 17 magical tips to enjoy reading with your child …
Reading with your child has so many benefits – from encouraging them to play with their imaginations and strengthening their enthusiasm for learning, to improving their language and communication skills. Not only that, but it gives you time together that makes them feel extra-special and boosts their self-confidence.
Of course, it’s not always easy as a parent to find the time or energy to include creative activities in your already busy timetable. So, to help you, we’ve put together 17 magical ideas which we hope will inspire you to make reading with your child the most wonderful and unforgettable moment that you’ll both want to repeat over and over again …
1. Make a cosy reading area
Turn story time into a treat by creating a cosy space in your home that’s just for reading. It doesn’t have to be anything too fancy – just somewhere you can both see the pages while you cuddle up together and enjoy some high-quality one-to-one time. If it’s a snuggly, safe and calm place full of their favourite things, your child(ren) will be sure to want to keep coming back for more.
2. Reading with your baby
Even when your child is a small baby, reading together as a family is an extremely positive and beneficial activity. In fact, the earlier you start reading with them, the better. Of course, they can’t read the book themselves, and they may not even understand the words. However, it will develop their listening skills while the sound of your voice may soothe them, calm them down or even help them to fall asleep. If it’s a book with textures or flaps to lift, your child(ren) can touch and feel the pages, helping them to improve their fine motor skills. And it’s never too early for you to follow the words with your finger as you read – this way you can help your child to understand that words on a page have meaning when they’re read in the right order.
3. Read regularly
The more you read, the better. Find a time that works for you and your family time and stick to it. Reading at bedtime is the most common, but for some children it’s better to read when they’re awake and attentive, so try reading after their nap or just after dinner. Whatever you decide, try to be consistent – your child will look forward to the time you’ve chosen and get excited about reading together as a family.
4. Let them choose!
If you give your child the choice of what you’re going to read together, they’ll show more interest and enthusiasm. Even reluctant readers or children with reading difficulties and dyslexia will be more eager to read and learn, if they get to choose. They may have a favourite story that they want you to read to them over and over again, or perhaps it’s a comic where they love the pictures and adventure. If they want you to take the lead, suggest books based on the things they enjoy most – dinosaurs, princesses, space, or animals – or share a story that you loved yourself as a child.
Most importantly – be enthusiastic about whatever they decide and don’t judge when it turns out to be the instructions to their new toy or the back of a cereal packet. The more they read, the more they’ll gain the confidence to read more!
5. Make it up!
For young readers, stir their imaginations before you even start the story! Show them the cover and ask them what they think the story is about. Ask them to tell you in their own words. Read the first few paragraphs and ask them again. Not only does this encourage them to tell stories themselves but it gets them excited and engaged in what might happen next.
6. Make reading fun (and a little bit silly)!
If you want to be your child’s favourite storyteller, be enthusiastic! The more energy you put in, the more magical it will be for them. Make the words come alive by giving them all your energy, and try not to care about sounding silly – your children will love that you’re having as much fun as they are, and they’ll want to read more as a result!
7. Use your voice
A great way to grab your child’s attention and make the story even more exciting is to use different voices for each of the characters. You don’t have to be a brilliant actor – just a voice that isn’t your normal one will be enough to make your child giggle. And if you run out of inspiration, you can even ask your children to make up the voices themselves so you can copy them.
8. Add sound effects
Try adding sound effects for special moments or exciting events in the story. You could click your tongue for the sound of horses, say BANG! or KERPOW! to add to the excitement, or tap your fingers on a surface if it starts to rain on the characters. And keep your children involved in the activity by challenging them to add their own sound effects whenever they think the story needs it
9. Bring the story alive
Another way to bring the story alive is to invite some of the actual characters to join in. It’s not as hard as it sounds. If the book you’re reading is all about animals, get some of your child’s cuddly toys to join in with story time. Or if there’s a treasure chest on a ship, find a box to concentrate your child’s attention. And don’t worry if don’t have any ready-made props or puppets to hand – you and your child can make some out of old cartons or a pair of colourful socks … it’s all about imagination, after all!
10. Simple Simon met a pieman
Children love it when they hear rhymes. All of Julia Donaldson’s books are a great hit for that reason. Find books which have rhymes or share any rhymes you know with your child. It will help your child to improve their vocabulary and give them an understanding of how the sounds of words can have totally different meanings.
11. What happens next?
A great game to play while you’re reading together with your child is to guess what might happen next. It encourages your child to listen carefully at all times and also challenges them to think about what has already happened as well as what the consequences might be. This helps them with logical thinking, creativity and problem solving. Even if it’s something you’ve read many times before, you could challenge them to create a surprising twist to the story.
12. Ask questions
Every so often, stop reading and ask your children a question about the story. For younger children, it might be simple things such as “Where is the boy in the picture?” or “What colour is the ball?”. As they grow older, it could be questions that make them think about the characters or the situation, such as or “Which is Snow White’s favourite animal?” or “Can you tell me what the wizard’s castle looks like?”. Asking your child questions, keeps them engaged in the story and gives them a feeling of control which boosts their confidence and self-esteem.
13. The values of reading
Children’s books very often tell the story of someone who is facing a challenge of some sort. It may also talk about certain values or it could contain a moral at the end of the tale. Help your children to understand these themes and how they can relate to them by talking about it as you’re reading or after you’ve finished. Try asking your child how they feel about what the character is going through and if they think they would do or say the same thing in a similar situation. You might ask questions such as “Why is the dragon sad?”, “How do you think the mouse feels when he meets The Gruffalo?” or “Can you think of ways to be kind like Cinderella?”
14. Get active!
Make reading an active activity. For example …
- make a special bookmark to keep the page for your next story time
- draw scenes and characters from the story
- go for a walk in nature and then read about what you’ve found when you get home
- read a recipe and cook it together
- make part of the story into a scene from a play using yourselves or simple puppets using wooden spoons
- listen to the audiobook while you follow on with the text
- write a different ending to one of the scenes
The more actively involved your child is in the story, the more they’ll feel connected to it and enjoy what they’re reading.
15. Celebrate their reading
Every time your child reads to you or for themselves – congratulate them for their achievement. You could even help them to draw a chart which they can fill in showing what they read and when. Encourage them to continue by giving them small rewards for the amount of times they read or how well they’ve improved with their reading – a special outing or a new book works great. They’ll love how they feel so proud when they make progress or hit any of the targets they’ve set for themselves.
16. Help reluctant readers
See our top tips for helping reluctant readers, those with dyslexia or children with reading difficulties. Choose books with plenty of illustrations and a simple layout on off-white or light, single colour backgrounds. Find stories with an easy vocabulary that’s typed with dyslexia-friendly fonts (large with open characters), wide enough spacing between the letters and the words, and the more lower case letters, the better. And perhaps think about buying the audiobook to listen along with the written text. If your child continues to have difficulties, consider finding books that use symbols above each word to make it easier for your child to follow along as you read to them.
17. Go to storytelling events
Keep an eye out for any local story time experiences. Ask at your nearby library or bookshop if they have any reading groups or storytelling activities and take your child along. You might find there’ll be a chance to swap books, borrow books, read together, drawing, arts and crafts or even fancy dress … all of which comes together to make reading a wonderfully social and enjoyable experience.
As experts in magical multi-award-winning storytelling, dive into our library of quirky, and most importantly, FUN things to read! All delivered by International Elf Service … the Most Magical Post Office …
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