A busy parent’s guide to investing in your child’s education
Learning to read is one of the most important things a child will ever learn. All parents want to help their children become confident readers, but it can be tough to know where to start.
As overwhelming as it can feel, it is also a really exciting stage in your child’s life.
You are not alone in this journey. There are tools to help make the process easier and fun for everyone.
Turn everyday routines, like breakfast time or the commute to school, into an opportunity to read. For example, audiobooks and digital books available on a smartphone or tablet are great tools for encouraging reading during car or bus journeys to school and back.
Research shows that learning to read in your mother tongue is key to later learning to read in English or another language.
Here are simple activities to help make learning to read at home enjoyable and engaging for kids:
- Bake or cook together using recipes your child can read aloud and follow on their own.
- Encourage reading of everyday objects in the home, such as labels on food products.
- Play kid-friendly crossword puzzles and board games that build reading skills and social skills, such as Boggle, Rory’s Story Cubes, Bananagrams or a classic like Monopoly.
- Keep a variety of reading materials in the home, including kids’ magazines, newspapers, comic books and magnetic alphabet letters.
- Leave notes in your child’s lunchbox, on the fridge, or around the house for them to read.
Encourage an interest in reading
Every child has their own style and interests. By allowing your kids to pick topics or genres based on their own interests, they’re more likely to stay motivated and engaged in what they’re reading.
By giving them a choice in what they read, they can learn independence and discover new ways to feed their curiosity.
We understand that a parent’s involvement in their child’s reading journey is important, but that doesn’t mean it needs to be stressful or time-consuming. With the right tools and support, all children can learn to read, no matter their level, at any time and anywhere.
Not sure where to start?
Download our ‘Feed the Monster’ app for free, available in 50+ languages, and help your child learn to read at home.
Want to learn more?
Join our movement of Curious Readers.
