Strong reading skills are vital for your child’s development and will benefit them from preschool through adulthood. Not only is reading an important part of their academic career, but comprehension improves language, logic, and the ability to focus for longer periods of time. Below are tips to enhance your child’s ability.

How to Improve Reading Skills

1. Make It a Habit

Make reading a habit in your home by having plenty of books available in different places such as the living room, their bedroom, or in playrooms. Children will follow your lead. Make sure they see how much you enjoy reading and encourage them to sit with you so you can read together.

2. Find Appealing Topics

Children will be more interested in reading if they like the topic. Offer different genres, such as comedy, mystery, science fiction, or fantasy, and try a variety of formats. Novels, short stories, plays, and even poetry will help kids of all ages develop comprehension skills. Consider books on topics of interest such as automobiles or art, which can help them improve their reading skills while helping them figure out their interests.

3. Say It Out Loud

Reading to toddlers and preschool children is a great foundation for literacy skills later in life, but even reading aloud to older kids can help enhance their skillset. Hearing the words as you move through each page develops connections between phrases and meanings. Have them read to you to help them build their vocabulary and confidence.

4. Review & Summarize

Making connections and understanding main themes will improve the retention of ideas. It also makes your child use logic and inference skills to draw conclusions from the text. Ask your child questions about what they read and have them summarize the main ideas.

5. Read Everything

Reading skills are not just for books, they extend to practical applications like signs, instruction manuals, and research. Ask your child to read everything they see, from road signs to magazine covers. If you’re cooking, have them read you the instructions for the recipe. The more opportunities they have to practice, the better they will be at honing their skills.

For the Bay Area, Palm Academy offers exceptional enrichment programs and developmental opportunities for children from two months to high school. Since 2006, the learning center has provided preschool and kindergarten programs as well as after school options and summer camp to keep children thriving all year long. From reading enrichment to STEAM education, children have an opportunity to explore and build their skills for a successful future. To learn more about their new program of bringing art to kids at area schools, call (510) 979-9794. Stop by their website for details on their curriculum.