Animal Sounds, Funny Voices & 5 More Tips for Reading Aloud
Reading is as much the cornerstone of education as it is a doorway to adventure and fantasy, as much an essential component in learning, enrichment and development as it is a crucial aspect of expanding a child’s possibilities.
One of the most valuable activities when it comes to cultivating good reading habits is reading aloud; it helps expose a child to richer language, correct pronunciation and proper grammar; encourages a child to use the imagination and come up with exciting new ideas; stretches attention spend and improves focus; and most importantly, can be fun for both you and your child!
Anyone can do it, so get started with these easy-to-use strategies!
Make things fun
by reading in character, making animal sounds and funny voices, and acting out parts of a book; this will help engage your little one and make it memorable, too!
Encourage involvement
by getting your little one to make predictions (“What do you think the lion did next?”) or describe a picture or place (“What sort of food do you think was in the wizard’s cupboard?); it will help build their confidence in expressing their thoughts!
Asking questions
helps build your child comprehension abilities. Choose questions that don’t have a direct ‘Yes’ or ‘No’ answer, but are open-ended enough to make your little one use their imagination. Follow up answers with other questions, and expand on what they say.
Look for books with rhymes;
children love books that have repeated phrases, repetition and rhythm. This isn’t just entertaining, but let’s them remember words easier – a crucial building block to advanced reading.
Read WITH, not TO, your child;
doing it together makes it more fun and involving, and keeps their attentions focused for a longer time. Plus, it’s a perfect time for bonding, and you can quickly have a favourite book to turn to, whether as a reward, as a way to get them to bed or to accompany them when they’re not feeling well.
Finally, always remember that reading and learning aren’t a destination, but a process, so be patient, encouraging and most of all, make sure both of you have fun! Happy reading!
