It has been proven that exposing our children to literature at home from an early age can help them be more successful in reading and in school in general.
But what does “being exposed to literature” mean? Does it mean that we need to read 100 books a week with our children? The National Center for Learning Disabilities (NCLD) affirms that this is not necessary. There are many ways in which we can expose our children to literature in meaningful ways. They clarify that “while family literacy activities are often based in reading, there are lots of other ways families can conduct literacy activities at home through picture books, songs, poetry and storytelling”.
In the article “Promoting Family Literacy: Raising Ready Readers” they explain a couple of home activities that parents can do with their children in order to help them develop different basic skills, and enhance their experience of learning to read. Activities as simple as having a set place for your child’s books, take time organizing them, and taking care of them; organize them by colors, size, or themes; having them make their own picture book to promote imagination is another great way to give them the opportunities to be creative and increase their vocabulary.
Storytelling is also a great activity to do with the whole family.
You can start by telling any story about your family: a wedding, birthday or any special occasion. You can give the opportunity to the younger child to re tell the story in their own words. “This activity helps build vocabulary, understand sequencing and recall information”.
Writing notes is a great way to connect with family and friends, and a great way to practice reading and writing in an informal manner. This simple activity shows our children how important it is to communicate in writing.
“Children should be encouraged to send notes at every stage of their development — from scribbles to sentences”.
Visiting the library as a family is a great way to share the love of reading with your children. The library is a fantastic place to explore different types of literature with different levels and subjects of a big range of books. Libraries also offer many activities that are fun to be part of and will definitely encourage your children to come back again.
“Learning to love to read starts at an early age and often starts at home. If families make the effort to encourage, support and engage all aspects of literacy in their homes, children and family members will enjoy reading and writing together for the rest of their lives”
If you are wondering how early your child should start reading, watch this short video to get an answer:
You can also read the whole article Promoting Family Literacy: Raising Ready Readers By NCLD Editorial Staff HERE!
