We all know that reading has far-reaching benefits for kids. In fact, according the U.S. Department of Education, kids who are read to or read for fun in their free time score better academically.
And the benefits of reading for pleasure go beyond academics, from improving mental health and well-being and increasing social and emotional skills such as empathy to fostering creativity and imagination.
So, how can parents and grandparents help kids of all ages and stages make progress in their reading development while also creating a lifetime love of reading?
We’ve broken it all down for you by age group, including a creative idea for what we like to call “learning in disguise.”
Emergent Pre-reading – ages 0 to 5
Key Skills in Development: verbal language development, letter recognition, early writing
Learning Focus: foundational skills
How to Support: reading aloud and exposing kids to print materials
Learning in Disguise Idea: Grab a large sheet pan and cover it with whip cream or shaving cream. Using a white board or piece of paper, write out a letter or simple word and have your child copy it by “writing” it with their finger on the sheet pan. As they progress, let them take a guess at the corresponding letter sounds.
Early Reading – ages 5 to 7
Key Skills in Development: sight words, reading comprehension and fluency, vocabulary development
Learning Focus: actively engaging kids with the reading process
How to Support: asking questions to check comprehension, encouraging them to read aloud and practicing sight words
Learning in Disguise Idea: Do you have kids who love to play with toy cars? Use sidewalk chalk on your driveway or sidewalk to draw a car “parking lot” and write a sight word in each space. Call out a sight word and have kids race to park their car in the parking spot with the correct sight word.
Transitional Reading – ages 7 to 9
Key Skills in Development: comprehension strategies, varied genres, reading for different purposes
Learning Focus: reading to learn
How to Support: discussing what they read and teaching comprehension strategies
Learning in Disguise Idea: Before you take your next vacation or trip to the zoo or aquarium, stop by the library and check out a nonfiction book on a related place, animal or habitat to read together. Then as you explore together on your adventure, bring up reminders from the book and let them talk about what they learned! It’s so much fun to see books come to life with real-world connections. Just remember to keep the conversation light so it’s a light and enjoyable discussion and doesn’t feel like a pop quiz!
Intermediate Reading – ages 9 to 12
Key Skills in Development: critical thinking, diverse reading, reading stamina
Learning Focus: refining their skills and engaging with a variety of text
How to Support: discussing their thoughts and opinions and helping them develop critical thinking skills
Learning in Disguise Idea: Make it a movie night! Many kids’ books are made into movies or TV shows. Pick one and read the book in advance and then plan a movie night with lots of fun snacks. Pause the movie halfway through for intermission and talk about how it’s similar to the book, how it’s different and your predictions on whether the ending will match up with the book or not!
Advanced Reading – ages 12 and up
Key Skills in Development: deep comprehension, synthesis and evaluation, advanced vocabulary and writing skills
Learning Focus: the ability to read and understand a wide range of text
How to Support: engaging in thoughtful discussions and encouraging their critical thinking and analytical skills.
Learning in Disguise Idea: This is a great age to pay attention to what they are reading and read it yourself. Is there a particular book series they’re into? Do they enjoy reading nonfiction articles on particular topics? Take an interest in what they are reading and discussion will naturally flow. Take it a step further and plan a mini book club night where you both read the same thing and then head to their favorite ice cream shop and discuss!
Reading enriches all of our lives in so many ways. As you nurture kids’ reading development at every stage, you’re setting a strong foundation for their future success.
What are you doing to help the children in your life become lifelong readers? Let us know in the comments!