Yesterday’s Super Bowl was exciting and today brings all the post-game analysis of key plays and strategies. When it comes to learning and readiness for kindergarten there are some key plays and effective strategies, too.
One of the most effective ways to help your child (even before your little one is born!!) is to read and share stories and books. Children who have been read to at home have an easier time at school when it comes to learning to read. Learning to read is the Super Bowl Challenge for kids.
When you are sharing a book with your child, look at the cover. What pictures are on the front? Sometimes that gives an idea of the story that’s inside. Check out the pictures inside, too. After hearing a story a few times, kids like when grownups pause so they can fill in some of the words. With a new book, kids also like to guess what might happen on the next page, using pictures and other clues. Reading some stories with rhyming words is a key play for kids, like this book by Brad Herzog and Doug Bowles.
Books don’t have to come just at bedtime. Do you have time for a morning story at the start of the day? How about one while supper is cooking in the oven? There’s even plastic books for reading in the tub. Reading books is the MVP–most valuable play. If each book shared together is a First Down, how long will it take to make a Touchdown?