Reading to your kids is SO important! It should be part of your daily routine. Reading boosts knowledge, vocabulary, empathy, memory, attention, and many other brain processes! But sometimes, things like age, developmental level, joint attention concerns, short attention spans, and high activity levels can make daily reading a challenge. Don't give up - try these tips! Start with indestructible books, like this one. Start with these awesome, indestructible books that can be mouthed and cannot be torn! This will help you to introduce the love of books at a very young age. Use manipulatives. Reading a book about rainbows? Draw a rainbow as you go through the book, color by color. Or use rainbow-colored pipe cleaners so your child can build a rainbow as you read. Reading a book about three bears? Use three teddy bears, and encourage your child to perform the actions the bears are doing in the book. My favorite? Read The Very Hungry Caterpillar using some of the real food items from the book! Make it multi sensory. Read and view lots of interactive books, such as touch and feel books and pop up books, to increase interest and engagement. Be careful about ebooks, however. Even though some of them are really cool to read together, it is not the same beneficial experience for the child's brain to read a book from a tablet. Make it a tradition. Reading is more enjoyable when it is a shared family tradition. I used to take my kids out for "book picnics". We would bring a blanket, snacks, and books, and we all loved it! You can make it part of your bedtime routine, or pop some popcorn to share during reading time. Find a way you can all enjoy the experience!
Allow movement. Kids with high activity levels still need to be read to! Allow them to sit on a bouncy exercise ball, move around the room, or swing while you read. Some children may benefit from holding a fidget toy while they listen. The most important part is engagement with you and with the book, not stillness. Take advantage of a "captive" audience. You could read a book about bath time while your child is in the bath tub. Or read a book about food while your child is in a high chair. Long drives are a perfect time for a read aloud, and older kids may enjoy books on tape! Make it a treasure hunt. Tell your child to listen for a certain word, or to find a certain picture. They can even "circle" it in the book using a rubber band when it has been found! Choose the right book. Libraries and book stores are perfect for this. Find books your child shows interest in, and don't try to read books above their developmental or interest levels. Use repetition. Repetitive books, like Brown Bear, Brown Bear, can help with language, attention, and memory development. You can also add rhythm and song to the reading experience!
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AuthorHi, I'm Brie Krentz, and I'm the School Psychologist at HGECC. I care about the social, emotional, behavioral, and mental health of all of our children, and I believe in Conscious Discipline as a way to minimize behavior problems and to help children connect meaningfully with others. Archives
October 2021
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