One of the greatest gifts you can give your child is a love for reading, whether fiction, nonfiction, or graphic novels. You’ll inspire their creativity and thirst for knowledge. You’ll also help them perform better in school, and build their critical-thinking and communication skills.
Your local Montessori school in Winnetka understands the benefits of reading at an early age, and follows a several simple tips to give children a head start. You can follow them at home to support your preschooler’s reading education.
Give your child a positive role model
Your child is more likely to pick up a book outside of their school curriculum if they see you regularly reading. Fit reading into your schedule when your child is home, and fill your to-read list with books and magazines. Your child might take a cue from you and explore their own reading materials—or they might ask about what you’re reading. Whenever your child shows interest in reading, support them by offering age-appropriate materials. As their skills develop, you can increase the material difficulty.
Read together as a family
Just as Montessori preschools set aside time in their schedule for reading, you should do the same to keep the Montessori method going strong at home. For younger children, bedtime stories are a classic reading time. However, if you only read at night, your child could get the idea that reading is only to put them to sleep. Have multiple reading times throughout the week and not only at night. You could also have reading times in the backyard, on the patio, and at the end of a short hike to a scenic area. Show your child through example that reading can happen anywhere.
Get involved with your child’s reading interests
Whether your child reads during an allotted family time or on their, offer to get involved. They might prefer you to leave them alone so they can get lost into fictional worlds, but otherwise, you can help them sound out and understand difficult words. You also can start a book club involving you, your child, and other interested family members and friends. After finishing a book, you can get together to discuss the plot and characters.
Your child’s reading journey continues at Montessori Preschool in Winnetka, CA
Valor Montessori Prep’s mission is to provide child-guided education for children aged 3- to 6-years-old that inspires lifelong learning. Our curriculum supports early-age reading, to give children a headstart on their academic success. Contact us to learn more about our hands-on Montessori preschool in Winnetka and Chatsworth.