Ballarat - A Learning Comminty: News Item

Reading ten minutes a day is all it takes!

Reading ten minutes a day is all it takes

to get your child off to a great start!

There is strong evidence to support the fact that children who are regularly read to in their early years are more likely to be successful readers at school. Reading to children lays important foundations for future learning. Reading helps to build and develop vocabulary and comprehension skills and gives your child an understanding of how language works.

Children who are regularly read to discover the pleasures of books from an early age. They love being read to and will play as readily with their books as they do their toys. They will ask to be read to and will settle when being read to.

You don’t need to be an expert to read to a child, remember that you are the centre of your child’s universe, they will love any time that you spend with them and benefit from it.

By reading to your child regularly you are giving valuable lessons by:

· Stimulating their imagination.

· Reinforcing a love of reading.

· Providing a rich language environment.

· Strengthening and developing the bond between you and your child.

· Providing a strong foundation for their education.

Tips for reading together

There is no right or wrong way to read to a child and no rules. All you need is a quiet place, a book, you and your child.

· Try to read every day, even if your child is not showing interest initially.

· Use nursery rhymes, action rhymes and songs as well as books.

· Make it fun, use different types of books such as pop ups and ‘lift the flap’ books.

· Introduce concepts such as books showing patterns, colours, numbers and letters.

· Make it exciting, go fast and slow so that children can begin to predict what is going to happen.

· Talk about what is happening, clearly point to things on the page and name them.

· Join the library and get involved in storytimes.

Central Highlands Regional Library Corporation has a large and comprehensive range of Children’s and Young Adult resources,

For information about your nearest branch of the Central Highlands Regional Library Corporation contact 5332 2615.