
Activities for Reading Fun
These activities were developed by national reading experts for you to use with your child. They are meant to be used in addition to reading with your child every day.
1. WORLD OF WORDS
(Pre-K, K)
To create a home rich in words, you'll need:
Paper, Glue
Pencils, crayons, markers
Newspapers, magazines
Safety scissors
What to do:
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Hang posters of the alphabet on the bedroom walls or make an alphabet poster with your child. Print the letters in large type. Capital letters are usually easier for young children to learn first.
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Label the things in your child's pictures. If your child draws a picture of a house, label it with "This is a house." Then put it on the refrigerator.
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Have your child watch you write when you make a shopping list or a "what to do" list. Say the words aloud and carefully print each letter.
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Let your child make lists, too. Help your child form the letters and spell the words.
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Look at newspapers and magazines with your child. Find an interesting picture and show it to your child as you read the caption aloud.
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Create a scrapbook. Cut out pictures of people and places and label them.
2. READ TO ME
(Pre-K - 5th grade)
It's important to read to your child, but equally important to listen to them read to you. Children thrive on having someone appreciate their developing skills.
What you'll need: Books at your child's reading level.
What to do:
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Listen carefully as your child reads.
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Take turns. You read a paragraph and have your child read the
next one. -
Or you read half the page and your child reads the other half.
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As your child becomes more at ease with reading aloud, take turns reading a full page.
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Keep in mind that your child may be focusing more on how to read the words than what they mean. So your reading helps to keep the story alive.
If your child has trouble reading words, you can help him or her in several ways:
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Guide your child to use the correct letter sounds.
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Supply the correct word.
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Tell your child how proud you are of his or her efforts and skills.
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Listening to your child read aloud provides opportunities for you to express appreciation of their new skills and for them to practice their reading. Most importantly, this is another way to enjoy reading together.
3. P.S. I LOVE YOU
(K - 2nd grade)
Something important happens when children receive and write letters. They realize that the printed word has a purpose.
What you'll need:
Paper, pencil, crayon, or marker
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What to do:
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Explain the writing process to your child: "We think of ideas and put them into words. Then we put the words on paper. People read the words and respond."
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Send your child little notes by putting them into a pocket or lunch box.
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Have your child write a letter. For example:
Dear Grandma,
I like it when you make ice cream. It's better than the kind we buy at the store.
Your grandson,
Darryl
P.S. I love you
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If your child doesn't write yet, s/he can dictate the words to you .
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Ask the people who receive these notes to write back.
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Sending letters will help children become better writers, and writing will make them better readers.
4. DICTIONARY WORDS
(Pre-K - 3rd grade)
A dictionary is a valuable learning tool. Your child can make a booklet of words that are challenging.
What you'll need:
Paper and pencils, a stapler, old magazines, newspapers.
What to do:
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Put together several sheets of paper for a booklet. Ask your child to write at the top of each page a new word that was recently learned. If the word can be shown in a picture, look through magazines and newspapers to find pictures that illustrate the words and paste them on the correct pages.
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Have your child write the meaning of each word and a sentence using each new word. Your child can then use some or all of these sentences as the basis for a creative story. Have your child read this story to you and other family members.
5. LOOK FOR BOOKS
(Pre-K - 5th grade)
The main thing is to find books you both love.
What to do:
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Ask friends, neighbors, and teachers to share the titles of their favorite books.
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Visit your local public library and get your child a library card. Ask the librarian for help in selecting books.
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Have your child join you in browsing for books.
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