We talk to many parents who are concerned when they first come into A Child’s Academy to enroll their kiddo. What’s the reason for their concern? They think it is a bad start to schooling if their child is unable to read when they first begin attending pre-K. First of all, let us say, there is no reason to be stressed. Many children start at A Child’s Academy in Gainesville without any reading skills at all and they go on to be hugely successful in their studies. Sure, there are things parents can do to help their child have a grasp on reading before they obtain any formal education, but even then, there is no guarantee that the child will have a full grasp of it when they first step foot into a classroom. Our team at ACA helps bring peace of mind with our advanced early development curriculum and Gainesville FL preschool learning strategies. In this article want to cover some child care tips for parents who are determined to help their child get started on their reading journey.
It is also important to note that even when you aren’t trying to teach your child reading skills, that they are learning things every single day. In the first five years of life, kids become familiar with their five senses, movement and much much more that cannot be taught by books. Let your child be just that, and they will learn naturally how to obtain these imperative skills. With that said, there are a few ways you can begin to introduce the idea of reading to your child without overwhelming them with lesson plans. Let’s discuss what these are below.
- Read To Your Child As Often As Possible – We like to encourage parents to begin reading to their child as early as possible. While you may think that reading to an infant can’t possibly do much, you would be wrong. Even young babies find pleasure in language and can begin to learn what words sound like at a very early age. Reading or telling short stories or rhymes, like the ones in Mother Goose books, are short and easy ways for you introduce language into your kid’s world. Not to mention, this is an excellent way to bond.
- Share A Love Of Reading – Your child looks up to you from the moment they are able to understand your relationship. As the parent, you represent everything they want to be. When you read to your child every day and they also see you reading in your spare time, it will spark interest in them. Make sure that when you read to them that the experience is fun as well. Making animated faces and reading characters in different voices will engage your kiddo and leave them wanting more. When reading is something that they associate with fun, they will be much more enthralled with the entire process, meaning they will likely pick up on the skill of reading much more quickly than you originally expected.
- Avoid Expensive Phonics Program – Many parents think that they will have to spend a fortune on expensive phonics learning programs if they want their child to be successful at reading when they enter preschool. This couldn’t be further from the truth, however. All your child really needs in order to learn is an alphabet book. You can even make your own if you are so inclined. The first step of becoming proficient at reading is being able to recognize letters and understand the different noises they can make. This is the only tool imperative to getting your child to read at an early age.
- Know The 5 Rs of Reading – Are you familiar with the five Rs of reading? Many people are not. They are as follows: Relevancy, repetition, rhythm, rhyme, and routine. Teach your child how words are relevant to them, then repeat it time and time again. After that, you want to make sure they understand the way rhythm and rhyme can work. Lastly, ensure that reading is a part of their everyday routine in order to ensure they continue to understand how words work.
Considering Enrolling Your Child in One of Our Gainesville FL Preschool Learning Programs?
If your child will be entering preschool soon and you are considering enrolling him/her at our academy, we cannot wait to talk to you. Don’t concern yourself with what level your child is reading at, if reading at all. We have a talented staff full of educators who have dedicated themselves to helping children learn. Contact us today and let us know more about what you are looking for in a school for your little one. We will give you all of the information you need to make the decision that is best for your family
