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Are Those Your Kids

Raising Biracial Kids in Today's World

5 Ways to Make Literacy Fun For Young Children

April 23, 2017 By Diedre 42 Comments

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If you want your kids to love reading, you've got to make literacy fun for them at a young age. Find out 5 ways you can incorporate literacy early on!

Effective early literacy allows children to begin developing skills in reading, writing & language.

I’ve worked in  education for  10+ years. The one thing that saddens me the most is to hear a child say that they hate to read. Fostering a love for reading begins at an early age, when their brains are little sponges.

The key to teaching kids to love to read is to make literacy fun.

If you want your kids to love reading, you've got to make literacy fun for them at a young age. Find out 5 ways you can incorporate literacy early on!

Read To Your Child Consistently

Reading doesn’t have to always be a structured bedtime routine. You can purchase bath books and read during bath time, you can read in the doctor’s office while waiting to be seen, or outside at the park.

It doesn’t matter where or when you read, just do it!

Reading to your children encourages a desire to be read to and gives them a curiosity of words and letters. You may even notice your child asking you, “What’s that word?” more often.

Turn a Story Into a Song

We are a musical family and I love using an opportunity to sing to my children. Many of the rhyming or repetitive books allow me to be creative when I’m reading.

In fact, many well-known stories have been turned into nursery rhymes. I use this to my advantage.

Now that my children are a little older, they sometimes decline my singing and want me to stick to the story. Either way, I am happy that they are developing a love for literacy.

This may seem silly, but you are actually teaching your children phonological awareness—a skill they will be tested on in kindergarten.

Get Your Child Involved In the Story

I See Me Books books do this for you! My daughter loves the story that has her name & favorite color on every page.  Her kingdom name is our hometown! This book also includes her skin tone, hair color & birth date throughout the story.   She points to her picture and her name and tries to read parts of the story herself.

It’s so exciting to see her engage with me while I tell the story. This is a book I know she’ll treasure forever.

If you want your kids to love reading, you've got to make literacy fun for them at a young age. Find out 5 ways you can incorporate literacy early on!Find Books Centered Around Their Interests

Right now my girls love animals & princesses. In fact, they love dressing up in princess gear. They are always more interested (and invested) in sitting still and listening to a book that piques their interest.

If your little one is a busy body & doesn’t sit still long, try finding books that will naturally keep their attention by centering stories around their interests.

If you want your kids to love reading, you've got to make literacy fun for them at a young age. Find out 5 ways you can incorporate literacy early on!

Let Them Help You Pick Out Books

When your toddlers go to kindergarten, they will be expected to go the library and pick out their own books. The more you practice at home, the more prepared they will be.

My daughter loves to read her Princess: The Day in the Life of a Princess book. It brings her fairy tale dreams to life. Everyone enjoys feeling special, and having her own customized book does just that.

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Comments

  1. KV says

    April 23, 2017 at 8:32 am

    I try to pick characters they would be interested in learning about.

    Reply
  2. Carolina says

    April 24, 2017 at 12:53 am

    I adjust my tone to make it sound fun. And we make weekly trips to the library to pick books.

    Reply
    • Diedre says

      April 24, 2017 at 2:19 pm

      I adjust my tone too…I love to do voices!

      Reply
  3. Lucy says

    April 24, 2017 at 11:25 am

    Luckily my 4 year old loves when I read to her and she has always loved “reading” herself. I read to her at all random times of the day and she enjoys it. This book looks like something she will love!

    Reply
    • Diedre says

      April 24, 2017 at 2:19 pm

      That’s wonderful Lucy! It makes my heart happy to hear that kids love to read!

      Reply
  4. Ashley says

    April 25, 2017 at 2:22 am

    My kids love when I change tones when reading too– “Mommy, do the voices!” 🙂

    Reply
    • Diedre says

      April 25, 2017 at 12:07 pm

      That’s so sweet! They’ll remember that forever.

      Reply
  5. Jaclyn Reynolds says

    April 25, 2017 at 11:02 am

    My son picks most of his own books and we love anything silly!

    Reply
    • Diedre says

      April 25, 2017 at 12:06 pm

      My kids love silly books too!

      Reply
  6. Marty says

    April 26, 2017 at 7:23 pm

    We have story time before bed every night in the special “snuggle chair” and my daughter can pick any three stories she likes, then I get to pick one.

    Reply
    • Diedre says

      April 26, 2017 at 10:37 pm

      What a great idea Marty!!

      Reply
  7. Amber Cheras says

    April 27, 2017 at 2:19 pm

    By letting them choose a book they are interested in and coming up with fun voices to go along with each character in the story.

    Reply
    • Diedre says

      April 27, 2017 at 3:54 pm

      Absolutely!

      Reply
  8. Rebekah Gienapp says

    April 27, 2017 at 4:34 pm

    When I hear a child say they don’t like to read, I always think, they just haven’t been shown the books that are just right for them yet.
    When my 5 year old is resistant to trying a new book, we take a “picture walk” first, looking at just the pictures. I’ll sneak in some wondering questions about what might be happening, and that usually makes him want to read the text.

    Reply
    • Diedre says

      April 27, 2017 at 7:11 pm

      That’s such a good idea Rebekah!!

      Reply
  9. Lula Ruger says

    April 28, 2017 at 2:57 am

    I let my grandson pick out his own books Reading is our special time when we curl up in our big rocking chair .

    Reply
    • Diedre says

      April 28, 2017 at 12:30 pm

      That’s so sweet! My girls love reading with their grandmother too. Those are memories he will treasure forever.

      Reply
  10. Elizabeth Brooks says

    April 28, 2017 at 2:58 am

    My kids love when I make voice changes, sounds, am questions, and personalize the story

    Reply
  11. Meghan K says

    April 28, 2017 at 3:01 am

    My kids have their own little Reading area in their room. They get to choose all kinds of books and stories they are interested in. My six-year-old even has a little blanket that makes her look like a mermaid and she has made it her reading blanket. Sometimes we even do flashlight reading where they read in the dark with flashlights.

    Reply
    • Diedre says

      April 28, 2017 at 7:22 pm

      Meghan, these are all great ideas!

      Reply
  12. tonni says

    April 28, 2017 at 3:02 am

    awesome idea

    Reply
    • Diedre says

      April 28, 2017 at 7:22 pm

      Thanks!

      Reply
  13. crystal frey says

    April 28, 2017 at 3:02 am

    i make it fun by really getting into character. for example if it is a pirate i will wear a pirate hat, eye patch and taalk just like we wuld think pirates sound like.

    Reply
  14. Kelly Jo Francisco says

    April 28, 2017 at 3:06 am

    What makes reading fun for my kids is when we read the books in different voices and act them out

    Reply
  15. Anita Jude says

    April 28, 2017 at 3:11 am

    I try to make sounds to go along with the story and sometimes change the names to include them in it

    Reply
  16. Kelly Woods says

    April 28, 2017 at 3:13 am

    I let my children pick out the book and they help me read it if they know the words or sounds.

    Reply
  17. Kayla Klontz says

    April 28, 2017 at 3:15 am

    I change voices with characters, I let my children pick the books we read, and we never forget to have fun and add learning to it.

    Reply
  18. Dynal Roberson says

    April 28, 2017 at 3:16 am

    I try and change my voice to imitate different voices and make funny faces while I read.

    Reply
  19. ADRIEN BEATTY says

    April 28, 2017 at 3:16 am

    I make sure that they interact with the book. We also use little props and sounds to make it fun.

    Reply
  20. Kathy D says

    April 28, 2017 at 3:18 am

    I would love for my granddaughter dont get to see her as much as I would like too

    Reply
  21. Michelle Catallo says

    April 28, 2017 at 3:19 am

    I read in funny voices I admit

    Reply
  22. Danielle Bell says

    April 28, 2017 at 3:22 am

    I like to do different voices, and act out animals, and different scenes

    Reply
  23. Celeste Herrin says

    April 28, 2017 at 3:22 am

    I try to be as animated as possible and get them involved in the story. We genuinely have a great time reading stories. Thank you so much for this opportunity.

    Reply
  24. Ellie Wright says

    April 28, 2017 at 3:23 am

    I take my kid to the library and let them pick out their books. They love to participate in the summer reading program for prizes.

    Reply
  25. naomie says

    April 28, 2017 at 3:25 am

    We get together as a family, and we each read our chosen book to each other.

    Reply
    • Diedre says

      April 28, 2017 at 12:30 pm

      I love that you make reading family affair!

      Reply
  26. AMY MALONE says

    April 28, 2017 at 3:26 am

    we make a game out of it, we sing, we take turns reading to each other

    Reply
  27. Gloria Luongo says

    April 28, 2017 at 3:35 am

    I try to make it fun. Different voices.

    Reply
    • Diedre says

      April 28, 2017 at 12:29 pm

      Different voices always makes a story more entertaining!

      Reply
  28. Deb Klein says

    April 28, 2017 at 3:49 am

    We sing to make it more fun!

    Reply
    • Diedre says

      April 28, 2017 at 12:29 pm

      My kids love that too!

      Reply

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  1. What Every Parent Needs to Know About Kindergarten says:
    November 10, 2019 at 4:05 am

    […] a variety of books so that you can help your child identify different kinds of texts (non-fiction, fiction, & poems)-believe it or not, they are already learning this in […]

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Hi, I’m Diedre!

Hi, I’m Diedre!

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Welcome to Are Those Your Kids! This blog was created to share my experiences in motherhood, from the perspective of a mom with biracial kids. I discuss all things education, culture, multicultural resources, curly hair and motherhood.

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