New York Pediatricians Recommend Reading With Your Kids
Posted: Monday, September 26, 2011
by The Old Gray Mare
www.DressYourHorse.com
A great many pediatricians are recommending that parents read to their young children and with their children every day. It is their consensus that reading aloud with kids is a terrific way to interest them in books and also to get them ready for the school days ahead of them.
At each physical checkup, these pediatricians give children free books in association with the Reach Out and Read Program. All books presented by this program are age appropriate and geared to instill a love of reading.
The participating pediatricians have some specific reading tips for parents.
For the young ones:
Start your smallest children with a board book. You can help them turn the pages and look at the colorful pictures with even the smallest babies.
Three-year old children may want to turn the pages themselves or you can assist them. It makes them feel important, get more involved and get excited about what’s on the next pages.
Make reading part of the routine on a daily basis. Perhaps for the little ones, a quiet time can be set up daily to read for a short time, and make it something to look forward to. Or read at bedtime each night.
Act out the story, using different intonations and voices for the characters. If there are sounds on the pages, make them silly and special if you have to – just make the time spent reading lots of fun. Whatever you can do to make the story interesting is the best thing.
Every once in a while, ask about a picture, what might be happening next, or let your child interact with you as you read.
Involve your child even further by letting him/her tell their version of last night’s story. Little kids love to talk, act or express their own thoughts.
Let your child pick out the next book he/she wants to read. Let them page through and explain their ideas about the pictures.
After a week, see if the child has formed any ideas or opinions about the books.
As you start your reading, keep books short and simple.
For kids already in school:
Read every day. Most people read with their kids at bedtime. But take direction from when the child seems most receptive.
If the child prefers to read, that’s excellent. It’s picking up the book, reading together and forming the habit that is important.
Make it a habit to read together. As your child gets older, set aside a time that everyone can enjoy reading, as a family.
Learn more about this reading program at www.reachoutandreadnyc.org.
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