In honor of National Young Readers Week, taking place November 7-13, Highlights magazine has provided five techniques to encourage adults to read to children and share their own reading experiences with their kids. Adults can use these simple tactics to engage children in stories and plant the seed for life-long enjoyment of language.
“Reading to a young child is one of the most natural and enjoyable things a parent or grandparent can do,” said Kathleen Hayes, editor of Highlights High Five. “There’s no wrong way to read to a child, but we can offer some tips to help families get the most of the experience:”
* Choose age-appropriate material. For young children, parents or grandparents should choose material with colorful illustrations interspersed with small amounts of text. Hayes suggests starting with the New York Public Library’s list of 100 recommended picture books.
* Select stories that you enjoy, too. “Choosing something that you like will make the experience more pleasurable and help you demonstrate the joys of reading,” said Hayes.
* Get to know children’s magazines. “When you’re looking for things to read to children, consider children’s magazines. Magazines like Highlights and Highlights High Five include a variety of stories, poems and activities, making it easy for every child to find something to enjoy,” said Hayes.
* Be comfortable with repetition. Reading favorite stories over and over again is perfectly fine, according to Hayes. “Children love knowing what comes next. Soon they’ll learn that they can follow along – an important precursor to independent reading.”
* Encourage children to talk about the story. “The first time through, don’t interrupt the flow of the story by stopping to ask too many questions,” said Hayes. Afterward, ask questions to help your child understand the story.
As a tribute to this national celebration of reading, on November 8th, Highlights will offer a free upgrade to expedited shipping on Feeding Friendsies by Suzanne Bloom. Visit Highlights on Facebook at Facebook/HighlightsforChildren to take advantage of the offer.
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About Highlights for Children, Inc. (www.Highlights.com)
Devoted to “Fun with a Purpose,” Highlights for Children, Inc. has helped children become their best selves for generations. Its flagship publication, Highlights magazine, the most recognizable and widely-read children’s magazine in the nation, has printed more than a billion copies. Other Highlights offerings include a version for younger children, Highlights High Five, Highlights for Children Book Clubs and mobile applications like My First Hidden Pictures. Online, children can visit www.HighlightsKids.com for interactive content related to each issue of the magazine, and parents can visit www.Highlights.com for informative articles and suggestions for additional family activities. Corporate offices are in Columbus, Ohio, and editorial offices are in Honesdale, Pennsylvania. Fun with a Purpose, Goofus and Gallant and Hidden Pictures are trademarks of Highlights for Children, Inc.