Have Fun with Books
It's actually very simple: children just want to have FUN.
If we want children to learn to read, we need to make books and reading fun too. When children enjoy books and are interested in stories, they naturally become more motivated to learn how to read. Educators and researchers call this "print motivation" – a key part of early literacy. It refers to a child's interest in and enjoyment of books, which plays a major role in their desire to learn to read.
Monkey loves to have fun with books wherever they go!
Monkey picked out so many books at the Library!
Activity Time!
- Get a free Library card and visit the Library regularly.
- Let children help you select books. Find out where the Library keeps easy information books including alphabet and number books.
- Check out books and encourage searching for objects in the illustrations.
- Have pretend reading sessions. Get picture books with little or no text and ask children to "read" to you.
- Take books wherever you go: doctor’s office, in the car, at the grocery store, or in the park.
- Watch children as they play and let them see you writing about them and what they’re doing. Create a book they can read about themselves and include a photograph of them.
- Involve children in reading as much as possible. Have them say a repeated phrase with you throughout a book as you read aloud. Being an active participant makes it much more fun!
- Give books as gifts.
- It’s important for children to have a positive association with books and reading, so recognize your child’s mood and choose a time that’s best for them. Stop reading when it’s no longer fun.
More 6 by 6 Skills
more skills
Look for Letters Everywhere
Learning shapes, and then later, letters, helps children learn that words are made up of letters that mean different sounds.
Notice Print All Around You
Pointing out words in books, on signs, and all around helps children know that all of those squiggly shapes have meaning.
Take Time to Rhyme
Hearing rhymes and wordplay helps children understand that words are made up of smaller parts — like endings that can sound like each other!
Talk, Talk, Talk
Use lots of language with young children, even when they don’t understand. The more words children hear the larger their vocabulary will be.
Tell Stories About Everything
Hearing lots of stories (and helping to tell them!) gives children an idea of how stories go — beginning, middle, end.
Have Fun with Books
Books can be fun at any age, and young children who enjoy books and see their adults enjoying books will be enthusiastic to learn to read.
Staff Picks
6 by 6 - Have Fun with Books
These titles will have your child saying, "Read it again!" Having fun with books will have your child wanting to become a reader!
Books that know they are books
Nothing's more fun for little ones than a book that talks back! These books are filled with characters that break the fourth wall.
Wordless Books
Books without words?! As the art of these children's books pull you along remember, a picture is worth a thousand words!
Wordless Picture Books
These wordless picture books are great for story telling practice and for using your imagination.
