Reading Ideas for Parents

  1. Have your child read every day and make it fun! Reading related activities should never be used as punishment.
  2. Show interest in your child's reading. Help them select appropriate reading material (Lexile Level) (but respect your child's reading choices within the bounds of reason).
  3. MAke sure your child sees you enjoying a wide variety of reading materials such as newspapers, books, magazines, etc.
  4. Check your child's comprehension of the story by asking questions.
    1. Fact questions: What were the characters names? Where did the story take place?
    2. Sequence questions: What came first, second, etc. in the story?
    3. Critical questions: How did you like the story? What do you think happened after the story ended? Would you have liked to be one of the characters in the story? Why?
  5. Encourage your child to ask questions about the reading they are doing.
  6. Give your child opportunities to read many different kinds of print: grocery lists, road signs, restaurant menus, maps, etc.
  7. Encourage word-play activities such as rhyming words, words that begin or end the same, words that mean the same or opposite, words that fit in the same categories, etc.
  8. Go to the Library. Let your child participate in their Summer Reading Program.
  9. Make a special effort to praise your child for improvement no matter how small the gain. (Each individual has unique abilities and interests.)
  10. Read aloud to your child each day even if they are able to read themselves. (You can select materials that interest them but are written at a slightly higher reading level than they are currently reading.)