Raise a Reader

We all want our children to be good readers. Reading is an essential skill; it brings information, understanding, and enjoyment to our lives. Without strong reading skills, children can struggle in all areas of their education. Fostering a love of reading at a young age is key.

Check out these tips and other resources we’ve pulled together for you.

Six Pre-Reading Skills

1. Print Motivation – kids love books and want to read.
2. Phonological Awareness – kids hear words and know they are made up of smaller sounds.
3. Vocabulary – kids know words and can understand what they hear and read.
4. Narrative Skills – kids know the structure of a story.
5. Print Awareness – kids know what words look like.
6. Letter Knowledge – kids know what letters look like and that they are put together to make words.

Ten Tips for Raising a Reader

1. Read aloud to your child every day.
2. Be a reading role model. Let your child see you read often.
3. Have plenty of books in the house. Keep children’s books low on the shelf so your child can reach them.
4. Sing songs and repeat nursery rhymes.
5. Let your baby play with board books.
6. Read your child’s favorite books again and again.
7. Make reading fun! Use funny voices, act out the story, and linger on your child’s favorite pages.
8. Let your children pick out their own books.
9. Talk about the stories. Ask questions about the pictures: “Where is the dog?” Ask questions about the story: “Why is she sad?”
10. Visit your local library often for books and programs. Ask a Children’s Librarian for help finding good books. Come to a storytime!

Tips for Helping a Reluctant or Struggling Reader

1. Talk to your child’s teacher(s). Ask them if they notice a problem and if they have any suggestions. If necessary, follow the proper steps to get your child extra help at school.
2. Allow your child to read whatever interests her. Comics and graphic novels are books, too! They often have plots, characters and themes that are just as complex as traditional books.
3. Be a role model. Your child won’t think reading is important if you don’t set an example that you think reading is important.
4. Have your child listen to a book on CD or tape as she reads the print version.
5. Ask your librarian to help you find hi-interest, low-difficulty books. If reading is challenging for a child, then you want him to be reading something he really loves so that he’ll want to stick with it.

More Resources:

Toronto Public Library KidsSpace Early Reading Support features:

• Tips by age (birth to 5 years) on fostering the six pre-reading skills
• Tips on reading aloud
• Tips on selecting books for your child

Reading Rockets features:

• Tips on helping kids who struggle with reading
• Booklists
• Reading research

Hennepin County Library Early Literacy site features:

• Tips on choosing books for ages birth to 6
• Fingerplays and songs

We also have books for parents and educators about reading to children.