Reading to Children - Hints for Parents

Comics, magazines, library books, signs and even shopping lists can stimulate your child’s reading. Asking your child to read these aloud with you will improve their reading in the classroom.

You can help your child with their reading by:

reading to them from an early age – to let them know that reading is a fun and relaxing activity and not just for work and school. Children love to copy, so it’s a great way to set an example that reading is important.
asking your child to read aloud each day for at least 10 minutes from a variety of texts, such as beginner’s readers, library books and picture books – this will establish a routine and make reading aloud easier.
using expression and feeling when you read and using different voices for different characters – this can make a story more entertaining.
letting your child choose what you read together – it doesn’t matter if you read the same book several times.
joining a library and borrowing books to read is inexpensive. Most libraries will have a children’s librarian – it is a good idea to speak with them about books you can share with your child.

For more tips on helping your child to embrace reading visit: www.education.qld.gov.au/parents/map/