Have your child read aloud to you, a sibling, or even a pet. Reading out loud strengthens fluency, expression, and confidence. Gently help when needed, but allow them time to problem-solve tricky words. Listening to them read also gives you a window into their growing skills.

After reading, ask your child to summarize the chapter, tell about the character or setting, etc. The more they talk about what they read, the more your child will make connections and deepen their understanding. 

Visit your local library or bookstore together and let your child choose books that interest them. When children are excited about what they’re reading, they’re more motivated to practice. Building joyful reading experiences now helps create lifelong readers.

After reading, ask your child to retell the story in their own words. Encourage them to include characters, setting, problem, and solution. This builds comprehension and sequencing skills.

Choose 3–5 interesting words from the book. Talk about what they mean, look for smaller word parts, and use them in new sentences. This strengthens vocabulary and word analysis skills.

Pause during reading to ask simple questions like, “Why did the character do that?” or “What do you think will happen next?” Talking about the story helps deepen understanding.

Have your child reread a short passage 2–3 times during the week. Each time, they’ll read more smoothly and confidently. You can even time them for one minute and celebrate improvement!

Encourage your child to read a variety of texts: stories, nonfiction books, poetry, or even magazines. Different types of reading build background knowledge and confidence.

Keep reading time positive and encouraging. Celebrate their effort, progress, and perseverance, even small improvements matter. 

After finishing a book, your child can write a short review that includes a brief summary and what they liked, or didn’t like, about it. This helps them reflect on the story and practice writing skills.

Encourage your child to take a favorite character from a book and imagine a new adventure or situation for them in the same story world. This sparks creativity and deepens their connection to the story.

Have your child read aloud to you for one minute, focusing on reading smoothly and accurately. They can read the same page each day and track how far they get over time. You can also have them retell what they read in their own words during that minute. This helps build confidence, fluency, and comprehension.

Use flashcards and see how many words your child can read correctly in one minute. Track their growth over time and celebrate improvement!

Choose 3–5 sight words and have your child create silly or meaningful sentences using them. This helps move sight words from memorization to real reading and writing.

Look for sight words in books, magazines, or around the house (labels, signs, mail). When they find one, they read it aloud and use it in a sentence.

Write sight words on paper. If your child misses one, have them trace it, spell it aloud, and then read it again. Immediate correction with repetition builds retention.

Play simple games like Memory (make two sets of cards), Go Fish with sight words, or hide cards around the room for a “Sight Word Scavenger Hunt.” Learning sticks when it’s fun!

Read for free with the Libby app! Borrow ebooks, audiobooks, magazines, and more for free from your local library with Libby, the library reading app.

Your local county library is one of the best free resources available to families! Regular library visits help children build a love of reading, explore new interests, and discover books they may not find at school.

A two-time Emmy-nominated program of the SAG-AFTRA Foundation, Storyline Online features actors reading children's books to inspire a love of reading worldwide.