Many parents are looking for activities that will help to boost a child’s early reading skills. Here are the top three favorite early reading activities which will not only help you build your child’s early reading skills but will also help you build his confidence. Each of the following early reading activities should be done together with your child and can be made even more effective by involving your entire family.
Create Picture-Text Flashcards Together
One of the most important things about reinforcing your child’s early reading skills is being able to help him to understand that there is a correlation between words and pictures. A great way to do this is to create a picture and text flashcards together with your child.
The best way to start is to collect several old magazines and have your child go through and identify several pictures that he likes. Clip these out, and help him to glue them to 3×5 index cards. As you glue the pictures to the cards, have your child name each picture and show him how to print the name of the object on the back of the card.
To play, first have your child name the object on the front of each card, and then show him how to sound out the word on the back. As your child gains more confidence, he’ll begin to identify the words on the backs of the cards more easily. As he does, begin showing him the words on the backs of the cards first to see how many he can identify and sound out without first seeing the pictures.
Writing Letters Together
Another great way to bolster your child’s confidence is to sit and write letters to family members together. Have your child dictate the letter to you, and then holding his hand, help him to trace out the letters for each word.
As your child begins to understand that the letters you are having him write are actually the words he is saying, they’ll quickly begin to cement in his mind, and you’ll find that he’ll actually begin to attempt to write certain words on his own after a while. And since it is the holiday season consider making some Christmas Cards for the troops.
Alphabet Memory and Matching
An alphabet memory and matching game is a great way to help your child improve his early reading skills and to bolster his self-confidence in those skills. The best way to do this is to have him help you create two sets of index cards with the letters of the alphabet printed on the back of each one in bright colors. Have him name each letter as you help him to form it.
Once you have both sets completed, lay one set, letter side down on a table in front of your child, and the other letter side up. As your child turns over a single card from the upside down the pile, have him match it to its mate on the other side. You can also help to boost your child’s memory, by placing both sets face down on the table and having him attempt to find pairs one set at a time.
Always remember that with any sort of activities for boosting your child’s early reading skills that it is important to be generous with your praise when your child does well. By praising your child each time he correctly identifies a word, you are helping to further cement that word into his brain. Not to mention that the more praise he receives, the more he will try to truly commit to heart the words and letters in your early reading activities.
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