09-15-2022
Nurture Your Child's Interest in Reading
By the ages of seven and eight, children are learning to read on their own. Many are starting to read longer chapter books. For some children, however, this is a time when they lose interest in reading.
Here are some ways to maintain your student's enthusiasm:
- Follow your child's interests. If your child likes soccer, get books on soccer. If your family has a pet hamster, check out books about hamsters.
- Share books you loved as a child. Read them together. Your love for the book may inspire your child's interest.
- Look for fairy tales. Children love magical stories.
- Get a craft or how-to book. Make a project together.
- Find an interactive book that lets the reader direct the story. Try it two ways: First, your child chooses, then you choose which way to follow the story.
- Encourage your child to read to someone younger. There's no easier way for a child to practice reading than by sharing with someone else. It also raises your child's reading self-confidence.
- Find books that answer your child's questions. "What's that flower?" your elementary schooler asks as you're walking. If you don't know, help your child find a guidebook online or from the library that will have the answer.
- Check out riddle and joke books. Silly jokes are the height of seven-year-old humor. You probably can't stop the gross-out jokes, but you can make sure your child has some new material.
Brought to you by:
Gwinnett County Public Schools
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