By: Meghan Huff, M.A., CCC-SLP
Way before your child starts to think about learning to read, foundations of reading concepts can be established through the child-led play you are already doing at home! Here are three playful scenarios you can try to help introduce the idea of reading to your child.
Play Pretend Waiter
You and your child are playing ‘restaurant’, and they are cooking for you. Grab a notepad and pencil and model how you can write down their order for the chef. It’s okay if they just write a line, scribbles, or shapes; the idea is that they are practicing putting information on paper! Now, take turns making orders. Alternatively, you could also “write” a grocery list to take to the grocery store.
Be a Model Student
Your child is playing ‘school’ with you and telling their students it’s quiet reading time. This would be a great time to model the correct orientation of a book and how to flip pages from right to left. You can even model reading by pointing to the text on the page and following it with your finger. Show your child that the words you are saying aren’t just made up but are actually from the letters on the page!
Sheet Music Sing-Along
Think of a song or nursery rhyme that your child can sing by heart. Provide a version of that song in written form, in a book, or on a piece of paper. Your child can use their finger to follow the words as they sing along. They are practicing the concept of following printed text while speaking! You want your child to begin to recognize that the words we speak correlate to groups of letters and that those groups of letters make up single words.
Get More Fun Ideas for Reading from Enrichment TLC!
Challenge yourself to find a way to incorporate concepts of reading or writing into your preschoolers’ daily activities through play and fun! When you need more support or additional resources, reach out to our team at Enrichment Therapy & Learning Center.
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