@ Your Library
We have reached the latter part of March and the weather is finally warming. I am so ready even for mud. And mud means I get more time to read as I don’t want to be outside much.
Spring is a great time to work on establishing new habits. Reading everyday to young children is a great habit for everyone involved. Reading is a great chance for one on one time with a young child. When children are read aloud to before they know how to read they are learning the skills needed to be able to learn to read easier. The more they are read to, generally the easier reading is to learn. But reading aloud doesn’t come naturally to most people, to to it successfully and with ease practice is necessary which is one of the best reasons to start with very young children. They don’t know or care how good or bad your reading skills are, they just like that you are spending time with them. Starting to read aloud to a child in-utero will give parents and grandparents time to practice and build reading aloud skills.
Some general guidelines for reading aloud include to slow down, read slow enough to build mental pictures of what is being shared. Allow children to look at the pictures without feeling hurried. Slowing down also allows for readers to add expression and detail to their voice, changing tone, pacing and voice. Don’t limit yourself to just picture books. As your children grow and develop, find non-fiction that matches their current interests. Recognize that reluctant, very active or very young walkers frequently find it difficult to just sit and listen. Let them keep their hands busy coloring or playing with a quiet toy while their brain listens. You will often find if you ask them questions about what they heard they can answer the questions better if they have kept their hands busy while listening.
Talk about what you are reading before you start, during and after the story. How does the book relate to experiences in real-life or how silly does the story make you feel. Finally, let children see you reading. Lead by example, share what you are reading, like to read and talk about what you’ve learned.
There are plenty of books for all ages of children in the junior room, come explore and find what interests you and your child. Read about winter, spring, summer and fall. Read about vehicles and animals, read about history, today or the future. Just read! Make a difference in your child’s life and help them be ready to learn.
The library wants to support building the reading habit. Pick up our Reading Ready booklets and earn a free children’s book every time you complete 100 days of reading aloud to your child from the time you know you are pregnant to the time they enter Kindergarten. A home library of books for children is also a very good predictor of academic success.