Reading for Kids

Children that are just getting into reading should be encouraged to read as much as they can. This will increase their knowledge and it can provide them with a terrific form of entertainment. To show them the entertainment value of a book, you must give them books that are not too difficult and are appealing to their interests.

The books you choose for a child who is just beginning to read should be fun and interesting for that child. Books with pictures to go along with the words are a good example of something a kindergartner would like. Get a book of animals and plants. Get books about people and other children, things that the child can understand and relate to. Don't give a child a book on politics or anything like that, subjects that are beyond there comprehension.

The books that beginners read should peak there interests and make them long to find out more about the subject of the book. If a child reads about flowers, all different kinds of flowers and their pictures, this child is going to want to go out and look at the flowers in the front yard and see which ones are from the book. The child will be overjoyed when a flower is seen that is from the book. The child will have a wonderful sense of accomplishment.

Books about nature are really good for children. They are almost always a subject of interest and it gives the children a way to learn about the world around them. Get books on animals, birds, fish, plants and anything else that you can find about nature. If your child has a pet, like a puppy, get books on puppies. The child can learn how to take care of the puppy or anything else about the puppy through reading.

Try getting books that can point a child to potential careers. Stories about policemen, pilots, firefighters and teachers are usually something all kids are into. This will not only give the child an opinion on these careers but it will also give the child an idea of what he or she would like to be when they grow up.

To add to the child's knowledge of reading and letters, try getting books that use pictures specifically showing the child the use of letters. For example, we use the letter "A" when we say "Apple". This will not only get the child reading more, but at a much faster pace.

Be sure that any book you get for a beginning reader has a good size print and lots of pictures to make the words understandable. A child may be able to pronounce a word but still might not understand the entire sentence. The pages of the books you give a beginning reader should be half picture and half text. One paragraph per page is perfect for a beginning reader. If you keep all these things in mind when getting your children their first books, you will find them reading their hearts out and enjoying every minute of it.

An excellent way to get your kids excited about reading is to read aloud to them. It's educational of course and they'll find it fun, but most importantly, they'll find it interesting. And we know that creating interest is the best way to get kids reading.

Young children will benefit from following the words that you are reading with their finger. Don't worry about teaching them a bad habit as they'll soon learn to let their eyes take over from their finger. It's more important that you train their eyes to follow the words from left to right at this stage. Children tend to copy the adults that they look up to, so they'll soon realise that you don't use your finger when you're reading and want to imitate you!

Start with a book which interests your audience. Something about a fictional boy or girl tends to appeal, but aiming for something where the main character lives a life different from their own is a good strategy. A city child will find reading about a child living in the countryside more interesting than reading about another city child, and vice versa.

If you're able to provide your audience with copies of the book to follow, begin by discussing the cover. The ideal book to choose will have a bright and colourful cover which will pique the reader's interest, and give an idea about what the book is about. A book about a farm might show an illustration of a child with some cows for example, or perhaps working in the garden. This allows the child reader to associate the picture with the book's title and to begin associating words with pictures. This is an important part in learning to read as the reader will eventually 'see' pictures in their mind as they read books which are not illustrated. This skill is what makes reading fun!

Before you begin reading, pick out some short passages which the children may relate to so that you can discuss them together. If the story tells of a character with a pet, for instance, ask the class to tell you about their own pet. This lively discussion will allow your young readers to identify with the character and want to read more about them.

You should also hold a discussion once you have completed reading the book aloud to the children. Discuss the story and anything about it which lends itself to discussion. Perhaps start with why the children enjoyed the story, or not of course! Which part did they enjoy most of all? Why was that? What would they have done differently if they had been the main character? In what way was the main character similar to themselves, or different?

These easy techniques will leave children eager for more, and ready to step into the wonderful adventure that is reading!