Reading With Your Grandchild

good reading level is essential for any child’s development, and the learning should begin and continue at home. View a school reading education as more of a honing point for what is learned in free time. Teaching and helping your Grandchild to read can be a fun and stimulating activity, and one that many Grandparents thoroughly enjoy. Not only will you be helping equip your Grandchild for life, you will also be able to spend time with your Grandchild and bond.

Beginning to read with your Grandchild does not need to be difficult. Your first stop should be the local library, ideally with your Grandchild. Look at the books together and see what appeals to the child, ensuring it is age appropriate, and then loan the books out. This is better than buying books in most cases, as it allows for a wide scope of reading material; and by taking the child you can ensure the books you are bringing home are interesting enough to them. After all, if a child is not stimulated by the idea of the book, it is unlikely they will put much effort into trying to read it. If you have older Grandchildren, you can ask who their favorite authors are and keep an eye out in book stores for any authors or genres that are mentioned.

When you have your books, it is advisable that you read the book yourself first and then read it with your Grandchild. This will give you an idea of the plot, the characters, and the general tone you need to take. Try and assign each character a voice – often, the sillier that voice is the better. Act your way through the book for a stimulating experience for the child; by bringing the story to life rather than just leaving it as words on a page, the experience is more likely to be something your Grandchild wishes to return to.

When you are familiar with the story, you can try reading the book with your Grandchild. It is important here, if they are helping to read rather than just having the story told to them, that you remain patient. If a child is stumbling over an obvious word, or even a word they pronounced effortlessly moments before, remember that this is a new experience and let the child work it out for themselves. Try hard not to read the word quickly if the child falters first time; let them try themselves, only stepping in as a last resort.

As you read, take breaks regularly. Children have a deep need for stimulation coupled with a short attention span, and if you are not careful, reading through a book from start to finish can feel more like a chore than a fun activity. Stop reading every 20 minutes or so, and converse with your child about the book; what do they think is going to happen next? Who is their favorite character so far? As well as breaking monotony, this encourages a child to think about literature and interpret it from a young age – essential for many English literature courses in mainstream education.

All in all, remember to keep things light and humorous Silly voices for character when you are reading and regular breaks are an excellent start for this, but remember to keep your temper under control. Instead, be positive and congratulatory when things go well, and be helpful and understanding when a child struggles to understand or read a word. In no time at all, reading can become a pleasant and fun activity for all involved.

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