How to read a children’s book

Choosing the right books for your child is crucial in building a lifelong love for reading. As a parent, it is important to make sure that your child is reading books that not only spark their interest but also challenge them to learn and grow. Here are some tips for choosing the right children’s book and how to read it effectively to your child.

Choosing the Right Children’s Book

Consider your child’s interests:

When selecting a book, think about what your child enjoys. If they love animals, look for books about different types of animals or animal characters. If they love adventure, find books that take them on a journey through a different world.

Check the age range

Make sure the book is age-appropriate for your child. The age range of the book should give you a good indication of whether the book is suitable for your child or not.

Look for diversity

Choose books that feature characters from different backgrounds and cultures. This will expose your child to different perspectives and help them develop empathy and understanding.

Read reviews

Take the time to read reviews of the book before purchasing it. Other parents and educators can offer valuable insight into the quality of the book and whether it is a good fit for your child.

How to Read a Book to Your Child

Choose a quiet, comfortable spot

Find a quiet, comfortable spot where you and your child can sit together and read. Make sure there are no distractions, such as a television or phone.

Show enthusiasm

Use different voices and facial expressions to bring the story to life. This will help your child stay engaged and interested in the story.

Ask questions

Ask your child questions as you read, such as “What do you think will happen next?” or “What do you think about the character’s decision?” This will help your child develop critical thinking skills and become an active participant in the story.

Use preschool  worksheets

If the book involves counting, shapes, or other math concepts, incorporate preschool math worksheets to reinforce these concepts. For example, if the book features different shapes, have your child color the shapes on a worksheet or draw their own shapes.

Discuss the story

After you finish reading, discuss the story with your child. Ask them questions about the characters and what they learned from the story. This will help your child develop comprehension skills and think critically about what they read.

Reading books to preschool children can be enhanced by applying various methods and games. While bedtime stories are a popular option, they alone may not be sufficient for a child’s development. To ensure children have a lifelong love of reading, it’s important to incorporate reading into all parts of their daily routine. With this in mind, we have compiled a list of seven practical and easy-to-implement methods that parents and caregivers can use when reading to preschoolers. These methods are suitable for any time of the day and can help children develop their imagination and language skills.

 

Reading Dramatics

If you want your child to listen to the book you are reading with admiration, this method is just for you. Dramatic reading, which is a very old and effective method, also provides entertainment for parents. Read by changing the voices of the characters in the chosen work. You can also add small movements to them according to the actions of the characters. For example, after a sentence like “at that moment, the doorbell rang,” just knock on the door or a simple board three times! Your child will listen/watch you with pleasure without getting distracted.

Puppetry

We can use this method/game in fairy tales, fables, and story genres. We can talk to the protagonists of the work we read with a sock we have obtained. Of course, we do not have to read the work in this way from beginning to end. We can use this method in the exciting parts of the plot, in the sections where the dialogues are intense.

“Guess”

A game that we can play in prose genres again. While reading the fairy tale, we can stop and ask our child questions like “what do you think happened after this?”, “what will the hero say now?”, “what do you think he will decide?” to develop our child’s guessing ability and imagination.

Interpreting pictures

This method/game makes our child curious about the book to be read. Before the book is read, all the pictures in the book are shown to him/her. Questions are asked about the pictures in the pages, such as “how can the weather be here?”, “why might this animal look sad?”. After the child gives answers in his/her own way, the work is read. When the reading is over, the areas that match/do not match the child’s initial judgments are evaluated together. The gains of the method are effective on cognitive areas such as increasing the child’s visual reading skills, producing ideas, interpreting, and evaluating.

“Another ending”

Before starting to read the book, we tell our child that we want them to find another ending for the book. The child will think of another ending throughout the time the book is being read. After the book is read, the child is asked what kind of end he/she imagined. Questions are asked to detail the answer he/she gives. For example, when a child imagines an ending like “the dog finds a new home for itself,” the parent can support the child’s imagination by asking questions like “what color is the roof of that house?” and “does anyone else live in the house?”

“Poem coloring” game

Poetry is an ideal genre that can enhance a child’s artistic perspective more effectively than other literary forms. It can establish either implicit or explicit connections with other art branches. For this game, we only require paper and paint as materials. Rather than reading the poem from start to finish, the parent reads it verse by verse. After each verse, the child creates images in their imagination and draws/colors them on paper.

“What would you do if you were me?

The method’s most important achievement is the development of our child’s ability to interpret behavior. After reading a book, two or more characters are identified from the story. The child is then asked to put themselves in the character’s place by asking questions such as, “If you were in the character’s position, how would you behave and what would you say?” These questions encourage the child to think about the concepts of right and wrong. For example, if there are good/bad characters in the story such as a lying child, a man who cuts down trees, a caretaker who protects animals, and a group of young people who help the elderly, we can teach our child to interpret which behavior is good and which is bad by asking them to think like those characters.

 

 

The effects of children’s books on early childhood

Books have a tremendous impact on early childhood development. It’s a well-known fact that reading to children from a young age helps to develop their language and cognitive skills, but it goes beyond that. Books can help children understand and make sense of the world around them, develop empathy, and cultivate a love for learning.

Reading books to children also helps them develop their imagination and creativity. Children’s books often feature colorful illustrations and imaginative characters, which can inspire children to think creatively and outside the box. This can help to develop their problem-solving skills and encourage them to approach the world in a more open-minded way.

Furthermore, books can also help children develop social-emotional skills. Children’s books often deal with emotions and relationships, and reading these stories can help children understand their own emotions and develop empathy toward others. This can help children develop better communication skills and improve their ability to form healthy relationships with others.

In addition to the many cognitive and social-emotional benefits of reading books to children, books can also help to instill a love of learning in children. When children are exposed to books from a young age, they begin to associate reading with pleasure and enjoyment, rather than as a chore or obligation. This can help to create a lifelong love of learning and a curiosity about the world around them.

Overall, the effects of books on early childhood are profound and far-reaching. Reading to children is one of the most effective ways to support their development and prepare them for a successful future.

 

 

In conclusion, choosing the right children’s book and reading it effectively to your child is important in promoting a love for reading and developing important skills. By considering your child’s interests, checking the age range, looking for diversity, and reading reviews, you can find the perfect book for your child. When reading, make sure to choose a quiet, comfortable spot, show enthusiasm, ask questions, use preschool math worksheets, and discuss the story with your child. With these tips, you can create a positive reading experience for your child that will last a lifetime.