Exploit her interests to get her to read.

Not every kid is an eager reader. Some parents worry when their preschooler can barely even sight read three letter words while seeing kids in the same class who can devour an entire picture book all by themselves in kindergarten. Remember, children develop at various paces. If a child reads early it doesn’t mean she’s a sure shot for being a literary genius. Late bloomers can even surpass them eventually in terms of literacy skills. We have some simple suggestions that can help your reluctant reader.

Consider your child’s interests. My son loves comic books like Geronimo Stilton and the Lego Exo Force series… and that gets him reading. For my daughter, it’s picture books about princesses and fairies. Experts say, comics and light picture books should not be discouraged at all. Laura Bailet PhD heads the Division of Neurology at the Florida Nemours Children’s Clinic, according to her we should not worry that comic book or picture book texts are not substantial enough.

Dr. Bailet says, “They can play important roles in helping kids understand some fundamentals, like how events take place in a sequence and stories are laid out. They also help build vocabulary and show that books can be visually appealing. Once your child becomes comfortable with the experience of reading, you can encourage other literature selections with a variety of challenging content.”

Read it again and again… and again. You may notice if your child finally finds a book she likes, she’ll want it read to her over and over again. That’s a good thing. Repetition allows children to master the text and eventually sail through it with ease and confidence. As Dr. Bailet explains it, “Each new reading of the book may also help them understand it just a little better. That positive experience may inspire them to give new books a try.”

Create interesting reading opportunities. Give your child rewarding chances to read every day. Write notes and leave them on a pillow, in a lunchbox, or in a pocket. Ask friends and relatives to send postcards and letters. Leave magnetic letters and words on the refrigerator, and you may find her spontaneously creating words, sentences, and stories. On road trips or errands, play word games that strengthen language skills. My kids like playing “I Spy” (”I spy something that starts with an ‘a’ …”) or games where you pick a category like “food” and then everyone has to name foods that begin with a certain letter.

If you’re worried, seek help. If you’re concerned about your child’s ability or willingness to read, don’t wait. Consult with your child’s doctor or teacher. If they share your concern, they may be able to suggest resources. A friend was worried about her 5-year-old son who refused to read anything. His kindergarten teachers suggested having him assessed by a developmental pediatrician. At first, the doctor suspected visual dyslexia. Before further tests were done, a simple eye test was given. Her son just had very poor vision and needed corrective glasses.

Whatever is hindering a child’s reading efforts, there is usually a way to deal with it. Observe and act quickly because the sooner a problem is dealt with, the better. Reading is a very important foundation for lifelong learning.

More reason to read to your kids.

We all know how valuable story-telling sessions are. Reading to your young child is not just good for bonding and fun, it is also linked to better academic performance down the road. Now, researchers say reading is important for mastering language — particularly the English language.

Canadian researchers report that reading to kids is a crucial tool in English-language development, but not other languages.

The Canadian study, published in Learning and Instruction, found that a child learning to read English — an orthographically inconsistent language where letters can have more than one sound — need more help than a child learning to read in Greek — a language with one-to-one correspondence between a letter and its sounds.

“We have found that in English, you need a rich home literacy environment — reading lots of books to children,” study leader George Georgiou of University of Alberta in Edmonton said in a statement. “It’s absolutely necessary.” 

Lacking such support, English-speaking children run the risk of falling behind at least two years versus children learning to read in Greek, the researchers said.

Georgiou recommends English-speaking parents invest time in reading to their children or at least expose them to educational TV programs such as Sesame Street and multimedia tools such as spelling games.

Remember though, the multimedia tools and educational shows will only benefit children above the age of two. Before age three, reading and talking to your child is what’s best for developing language skills. Even month old babies can benefit from hearing books read to them.

Banging on that glockenspiel can sharpen your child’s reading skills.

Cost-cutting school districts are making a mistake when they cut music from the kindergarten to 12 curriculum. Learning to play an instrument may actually help hone reading skills, more than kindergarten worksheets. So, if your child is a natural music lover, take advantage. Music is not only fun, it’s good for her brain development too.

Nina Kraus, a researcher from the Northwestern University said that music training has profound effects that shape the sensory system and should be a mainstay of K-12 education. 
”Playing an instrument may help youngsters better process speech in noisy classrooms and more accurately interpret the nuances of language that are conveyed by subtle changes in the human voice,” Kraus said in a statement.

“We’ve found that years of music training may also improve how sounds are processed for language and emotion.” 

Music training helps typically developing children as well as children with developmental dyslexia or autism more accurately encode speech. 
This is why music classes of any sort are practically part and parcel of any intervention program for children with autism or dyslexia.

Studies in Kraus’s laboratory indicate music — a high-order cognitive process — affects automatic processing that occurs early in the processing stream. 

”The brainstem, an evolutionarily ancient part of the brain, is modified by our experience with sound,” Kraus said.

“Now we know that music can fundamentally shape our subcortical sensory circuitry in ways that may enhance everyday tasks, including reading and listening in noise.”

Kraus presented her findings at the American Association for the Advancement of Science annual meeting in San Diego.

Nurturing environments also nurture good readers.

Once upon a time, a controversial claim was made that you can read to your kids all you want but that won’t guarantee they will be good readers. That claim was made in 2005 in the book Freakonomics by authors Stephen J. Dubner and Steven D. Levitt. The authors said, having wealthy and educated parents is a better gauge for high literacy. Well, there’s a new study out that claims that’s only partly true.

According to a new study by Ohio University researchers, Dubner and Levitt were right about genetics playing a large part in early reading development. But if you have a preschooler that’s not too keen on reading yet… take heart. The study found that a supportive environment can help make kids better readers.

So what kind of support do children need to make them hit the books more? A supportive environment would include — surprise, surprise — good school instruction, proper nutrition, a caring home environment and parents who read to their children. Yes, all that nightly reading of Dr. Seuss and Leo Lionni are not in vain!

Study lead author Stephen Perill, a professor of human development and family science at Ohio State University explained in a university press release: “Regardless of where children start as far as reading skills, and the impact that genetics and environment had on their initial skills, we found that their environment had an impact on how fast or how slowly those reading skills developed.”

The researchers concluded that when children begin to read, both genetics and environment play a role in the development of skills, but to different degrees. In word and letter identification, environment explained about two-thirds of the test results, while genetics explained one-third. For vocabulary and sound awareness, genetics and environment had equal influence. Genetics accounted for 75 percent of results on reading speed tests.

However, when Petrill and colleagues measured the children’s growth in reading skills, environment became a much more important influence. Environment is almost completely responsible for the growth of reading skills that are taught, such as words and letters, and 80 percent responsible for growth in awareness of sounds in reading.

The study findings are published in the online edition of the Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry.

Teachers have known this all along. They’ve seen it in their students. Learning does begin at home and it helps tremendously when kids are stress-free, fed healthy and cared for by their moms and dads. A good school helps but a good home life also contributes to successful learners. Not much surprise there, but a reminder that a little good parenting can go a long way.

Enrich your child’s language development.

Your toddler has gone from coos and giggles to actual attempts at words. So give him a rich broth for simmering his alphabet soup of verbal exercises. Many of us know it’s good to read a lot of books to them to stimulate language. But giving him experiences — like taking him outdoors or simple play — are wonderful ways to encourage his budding language abilities.

Pay attention to his cues. See what your child is interested in and there you will find plenty of opportunity. A little nature lover might like going through the park to look at trees exclaiming Look mommy the leaves not green, they’re orange. Use this chance and respond with something like Yes, it’s autumn so the trees’ leaves change color before they fall for the winter.

If your child is interested in something, by all means stoke his curiosity. What you should avoid is foisting too much knowledge on your little one or using concepts that are beyond his comprehension. On the other hand, responding with a “yes” or a “uhumm” won’t add much to your child’s knowledge or encourage his interest.

Show your child that you are listening to — and responding to — his attempts to communicate. Avoid jumping in to correct every mispronunciation or error in grammar. For instance, my daughter once said: “Oh so many shoeses in the store!” I responded: “I can see that too. There are so many shoes.”

Give your budding talker a wider audience for his repertoire of new words. Expose him to other adults and children. Playing with other kids stimulates language skills, especially if he has no verbal siblings to vocalize with.

Nursery rhymes and sing-along songs that introduce simple concepts and repeat key phrases, like “Old MacDonald’s Farm,” can also help to enrich your child’s vocabulary. As she nears age 3, you can start to play guessing games such as “Who am I?” In this game, one person says, for example, “I live on a farm. I’m black and white, or maybe brown, and I make milk and eat grass. Who am I?

So just talk to your toddler, ask him questions… challenge him a bit. Enjoying small talk and conversations with him is great for his language development.

Everything they need to learn, they’ll learn in a good kindergarten.

I know… every parent seems to love the preschool their kids are in. Of course, it validates a decision they made! But if you’re shopping around for schools, maybe my personal reasons for choosing my kids’ preschool may resonate with your own parenting philosophy.

Recently, I was interviewed by a fellow writer for an article she’s doing on why parents choose to send kids to progressive schools.  Had to put some thought to it so, might as well share them with you! Maybe you’ll get some ideas on choosing the right preschool for your child.

When you set out looking for a school for your child, did you have a list of qualities and abilities you wanted to see developed in him–certain developmental goals? What are these developmental goals, and why are they important?

For preschool, I was looking for an environment that encouraged imagination, curiosity and a love for learning. Socialization — making friends, learning to share, being polite — also very important. All You Need To Know I Learned In Kindergarten type of stuff.

I’m the kind of parent who thinks a child who is pressured to read or write early can actually develop a negative attitude towards school and authentic learning. I say authentic, to differentiate it from rote learning — which is just memorizing a bunch of stuff for a test.

Both my kids go to a progressive school using the Bank Street approach. My goals? Honing creativity and critical thinking. Kids these days face a more challenging world that demands more out-of-the-box thinking.

I also love that the school’s program is rooted in “the principles of inquiry and social justice” — as they describe their philosophy. They also care about their students’ emotional growth. Lot’s of nice, happy kids there! EQ is just as important as IQ . Cynics may not believe this, but I have not heard of any bullying going on there — in lower school to upper school. I admit to snooping around from other parents! The class sizes are small, there’s a lot of collaborative work, teachers and coordinators know all their students so I think these contribute to making them good at dealing with others.

Can you give a few, very specific examples of activities and teaching methods that you feel hit right at the heart of what you want developed in your child?

My 5-year old son loves school. He reads above his level, he declares he loves math. He can be quite a talker. But, all of a sudden something doesn’t come easy for him — and he struggles with his handwriting. Suddenly, Mr. Verbose becomes short and “pithy” during Writer’s Workshop (where they have to journal or make original short stories accompanied by their own words and drawings).

So he gets extra homework from his teacher. One time, the assignment was to write a thank you letter to a friend, then next time it was a sorry letter. In most schools a boy with handwriting issues will probably be asked to copy a sentence in a black board again and again and again. In my son’s case, they put meaning into his handwriting practice by coming up with his own thoughts for a letter. Then the letters have significance because they were written for some of his dearest friends. When he wrote his letters and I had to look over them, we ended up having a great talk about his friends — have some laughs and revelations as a bonus. I loved that.

And these are just some of the reasons why we love school. Hope you find one to fall in love with.

Help your child learn to write.

Workbooks where kids have to sit quietly and trace letters repeatedly can be tedious and uninspiring for young kids. There should be no pressure to get them started to write — this could be counterproductive and make them dislike writing even more. We can encourage them to practice penmanship, but the key is to make it fun and engaging. We have some ideas you can try.

Nellie Edge, a kindergarten and early-literacy specialist suggests an activity you can do as early as toddler stage. Spray shaving cream on the kitchen counter or table and help your child write his name in the foam. The next day, draw letters with finger-paints. Wikki Stix, Play-Doh, and Lego blocks are toy-box favorites you can also use to shape letters. “You want to send the message to your child that learning to write is going to be one of the most fun things to do,” says Edge.

Where do I begin?

It’s best to start by teaching your child to print her name. But even though capital letters are easier to write than lowercase ones, don’t encourage her to write her name in all caps. Come kindergarten, it can be a hard habit to break. When your child knows how to write her name, then you can move on to the rest of the uppercase letters.

My child’s letters are hardly legible!

Many 4-year-olds and even some 5-year-olds have difficulty holding a standard-size pencil, which makes their handwriting ultra-messy. Slide-on rubber grips sold in school-supply stores can make it easier for your child to use a pencil. A small golf pencil can also do the trick if the grippers don’t help. The length of the pencil is what gives some kids trouble.

Experts advice parents to make time for activities that give the pincer grip — the ability to hold objects between the thumb and index finger — a good workout. Some examples are stringing beads, playing Bingo with Cheerios, putting together puzzles, and building with blocks.

My kid’s letters are written in reverse!

Don’t panic, it’s not dyslexia! Writing letters backwards is common among budding writers. Jan Olsen, an occupational therapist who developed Handwriting Without Tears, a curriculum used in thousands of elementary schools shares a simple strategy using a square blackboard with a wooden border. “Put a smiley face in the top left corner and call it the starting corner,” says Olsen. Then have your child use that as the place to begin writing the letters he tends to reverse, like uppercase B and uppercase D. The border will prevent him from moving left with his lines.

At home, I noticed my kids love to draw or paint pictures. I always remind them to write their name on their artwork or to give it a title or description. Voila… they get to practice some penmanship all in the spirit of doing a fun project!

Encourage your toddler to play alone.

Toddlers will always want mommy or daddy to play with, and we should oblige. Playing with your child is great for fun, bonding and learning. But we should also encourage solo play.

For a few minutes every day, children should be able to play as they please, left to their own imagination. And this isn’t good just so you can fix dinner. Independent play builds well… independence, along with creativity and self-confidence.

I would often catch my daughter talking to herself and her dolls, when engaged in solo play. Sometimes she is mimicking lines from her favorite books. Many times she is creating her own scenarios. Experts tell us, this kind of symbolic play boosts a child’s language skills. Read more for advice on how to tap into the power of independent play.

Start your child young. Even as babies, give them a few minutes at a time to explore their play mat or baby gym, without direction from you. In a crib or play pen, babies can be left alone with a favorite toy or two. Throw in a book they like flipping through. For their safety, you will have to be nearby, but don’t hover.

As your child turns from baby to toddler, solo play periods should get longer. However, about 15 minutes at a time is about the longest you can expect a typical one-year-old to play alone.

Experts remind us that temperament and age determine a child’s inclination for independent play. It’s important to note that you cannot count on an older toddler playing alone for longer periods than a younger one. A 22-month-old child has more developed cognitive and language abilities, but her desire for independence is also increasing – so she is more likely to test limits and require supervision.

When you put your child down for some me-time-playtime, you should also make sure she is not hungry, tired or sick. An ideal time would be when they are in a good mood, maybe after lunch or a bath.

Solo Play Starters

Although you are leaving your child to her own imagination, you still need to set things up. First, give your child access to objects that interest her. At my office at home, my desk has two drawers filled with paper, child-safe scissors, old cards, ribbons and random knicks-knacks and toys my toddler is allowed to go through. She often likes to “just stay beside mama” while I work. While I get my writing done, she gets some solo play time, after deciding which things to play with from her very own “work drawer”.

Wherever you set up playtime, be it playroom or elsewhere, make sure you are within earshot and eye distance. Toddlers are far from being safety experts!

You will also need to put some structure, by providing only a few toys at a time. Being surrounded by heaps of favorite toys is overwhelming. Since you are nearby, you will also have to re-engage your child after she loses interest. For instance, when I see my daughter’s block structure, I’d prompt her to extend her activity by asking “Do you want to build a school beside it?” Or sometimes, “Oh you used 3 blocks to build the tower… Can you build one with 5 blocks?”  This usually encourages her to continue playing.

Claire Lerner, child-development specialist at Zero to Three, has some extra advice. “The key is to increase the time incrementally so your toddler gets used to the routine. Your initial attempts may yield only a few minutes before your toddler clamors for you. Don’t respond instantly. Give her a chance to work things out by herself.”

Because once in a while, your child needs to lose herself in a world of play. As they say, play is the work of children.

Good books, good night, good dreams.

During the day, everyone is off doing their own thing. Mom is busy writing and Dad is at work. Kids are in school then playground dates or after-school activities. So one of the best parts of our 24-hour cycle is spending some quality time with my toddler and preschooler, curled up in bed for their night time stories. It’s a great ritual for bonding, learning and winding down for the day. The ritual would not be complete without a few good books.

Yesterday, I shared books that my toddler especially loves. Today, we feature my preschooler’s favorites.

My Preschooler’s Bedtime Classics

Where the Wild Things Are, Maurice Sendak. The movie is out and I think Spike Jonze did a great job, but it’s probably better for the older kids. However, the book that inspired the hit movie shoult be in the hit list of every preschooler. That is, if your little one isn’t bothered by the beautifully compelling monsters drawn by author Maurice Sendak. Otherwise it’s a classic tale that many 3 to 5 year olds can relate to. A boy dealing with his anger by retreating into his imagination. The happy ending should help inspire some happy dreams.

Grufallo’s Child, Julia Donaldson The Gurfallo’s child is another character kids can relate to – treading the line between being adventurous and fearful. After an adventure seeking the Big Bad Mouse, the Grufallo seeks solace and rest back home, just like my preschooler has to do. My son seems to have a fascination with monsters, I know!

Frederick, Leo Lionni Both my kids love this book about an imaginative mouse that spends his days “gathering sun rays” and colors, that he later turns into words to liven up dreary winter days. This eventually leads his fellow mice who used to scoff at him for his lack of efficiency in field work, “But Frederick… you are a poet.” Lionni has many great children’s books, but this is everyone’s hands down favorite.

I just gave a few samples out of our repertoire for bedtime reading. My kids actually have many more favorites, and it seems they come and go depending on the wind and their whims! Other good bedtime books are  Strega Nona by Tomie De Paola, Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day by Judith Viorst, The Cat in the Hat and Fox in Socks both by Dr. Seuss.

I often let my kids choose which books they want read for the night. But in times when I take it upon myself to give suggestions, my preschooler won’t say no to the ones above.

So what are your classic bedtime books?

Good books for a good night’s rest… and good dreams.

Every night, after dinner and a bath, my kids have to wind-down with a good book. Actually, most often it would be at least two, three, four or more books – depending on that night’s negotiations. I’ve noticed, not all books are made… to create the same effect. Some books are good for getting the kids all excited, even getting them to move around. Some are perfect for getting them to think about letters and numbers and school stuff. What we’re sharing here are our kid-certified favorites that go well with those night-time cuddles, that are just right for settling down.

Some books are just perfect for getting them ready to drift off to a good night’s sleep. And if you are like most parents, before bed is just about the time when you can accommodate those extended reading sessions. Dr. Seuss, Eric Carle and Leo Lionni provide surefire hits for both my 5-year-old boy and my 3-year-old girl. But let’s break it down according to his and her favorites.

Today’s list brought to you by our resident book-loving little girl.

My Toddler’s Bedtime Classics

Papa, Please Get the Moon for Me, Eric Carle. My daughter especially likes it when her own papa reads this book to her. It is not lacking in Carle’s riveting, signature illustrations which in this book, fold in and fold out for some surprising book moments. And as usual, Carle tells a lovely dreamlike story to inspire a child’s own night time dreams.

Poppleton Everyday Series, Cynthia Rylant. Actually, both kids love this series about a humorous pig and his funny band of friends. I think children can relate a lot to Poppleton and his adventures. The language is simple but rich, employing a few repetitions which are all great for beginning readers too. Everything usually turns out good and well for the friendly pig. Great for setting up dream time!

Sleep Book, Dr. Seuss. And of course one of the best bed time books is simply called the Sleep Book, written by no less than Dr. Seuss. This is a long one, but you’ll have fun reading lines like “sleep thoughts are spreading throughout the land. The time for night-brushing of teeth is at hand.” It takes a lot to make a child want to end a day of fun exploration, but with this book, Dr. Seuss provides a lot of help. As he says of the Sleep Book’s tired characters who have put down their loads, “Tonight they’ve forgotten their feet are so sore. And that’s what the wonderful nighttime is for.”

More Books

If you have a girly-girl toddler like me, other titles worth checking out are the Fancy Nancy series by Jane O’Connor. You might also want to show your toddler the wonderful (though somewhat dark) stories  and gorgeous illustrations of Maurice Sendak. My daughter especially likes In the Night Kitchen and Outside Over There. She doesn’t like reading Sendak’s most famous book - Where The Wild Things Are - during the night. Curiously, during the day she loves it! As she explains, “monster books are not for night, mama.”

As for my preschooler, Wild Things is one of his favorite night time reads. The rest of his list will be posted tomorrow. In the meantime, sweet dreams….