How to sneak in reading development - Like sneaking in veggies for the brain

School has sped up a ton since my day. I remember in kindergarten during the 70’s we learned social skills. Many of us went to the same schools our whole life, so we all learned on the same level. First grade was where we picked up reading, writing and skills that they are learning now in kindergarten.

I’ve gotten my teens in high school, and have turned my concentration on the toddlers in my household. I started them early with simple things from a young age; we read every night together, draw on the chalkboard in their room with letters and numbers as well as find silly ways to learn the alphabet with water/dirt or food.

There is a sense of calm that comes over the house around 7:30, Clean the room, set out pajamas, turn off the overhead light and turn on the lamp, get them into the bath and then we sit on the floor of their room together and read four books a night. Sometimes they are learning from a simple preschool workbook or a silly board book we got from the library. Either way it is a time to quiet their minds and for me to sneak in some child reading development. Shhhh… don’t tell them that I’m teaching them during that time, they don’t need to know that just yet.

One way I’ve found to work on my children’s reading development is for them to tell me a story in a picture book. No words for me to read just an open dialogue about what they are seeing. Toddlers come up with the funniest stories on their own, teach them to name the character so they learn pronouns and places names, letting them tell you hair color and emotions will allow them to see a world outside of themselves and that people have the same emotions as they do, even if they are just a photo.

During this age and time in their lives I am always searching for fun ways to get them to fall in love with learning and if they can read it will help take the stress of learning away, because they aren’t fighting to read and comprehend they just have to focus on the newest lesson plan. The more chance we give them, the better off they will be.
 

~I was compensated for this post, all words are my own~