How to Motivate Your Kindergartener Learn How to Read

08 September 2022

Reading is essential for success in practically every subject across the school curriculum, and studies have shown that it is the primary means by which people pick up new words. Kids acquire more words from context and have access to more texts as they read more frequently.

With all the excellent books and other forms of written language available, it is a godsend and a world of opportunities for learning and escape. From your child’s perspective, a lot of their associations with reading will be shaped by how you present it to them and encourage them to master it. So let’s look at ways to motivate your kindergarten to start reading by creating a good association in their minds.

Allocate a Reading Hour

A book can be picked up and started by an avid reader at any time of day and in any situation. However, it takes practice to develop a talent like that. It takes a dedicated reading session to have the time to dig into some reading. To give your child a routine and to free their minds of anything else that would otherwise be preoccupying them, try to arrange a “reading hour” among all the other activities in their life.

Try Buddy Reading With Your Child

Buddy reading can increase a child’s fluency and help him feel more at ease when reading independently. Children enjoy feeling included by adults in activities that appear to be for adults. By reading with them, you can reinforce that feeling and give them something to look forwards to as a group. Do you know when the kid puts their little doll next to the parent holding the baby sibling or their toy steering wheel next to the parent driving? That’s the effect you want to achieve.

Create a Little Reading Nook

It doesn’t need to take up the entire space; it might be more like a reading nook. But the key is to set apart an area where nothing but reading is done. Make sure the area is nicely decorated, comfortable, and enjoyable to be in. It would be wise to invest in this additional positive association.

Don’t Make Reading Feel Like a Chore

If you’re not careful, reading for your kindergarten could quickly become a chore. It is not a good idea to push children to read excessively or attempt to read at a level above their current ability because this will lead to many long-term problems. It’s all about associations once more. Being overly rigid about some issues can seriously harm your child’s enjoyment of reading because reading should be enjoyable, not a chore.

Take Them to The Bookstore

In addition to encouraging children to read the back covers of books, which is important for developing summary skills, book shopping is also a fun activity that parents and their kids can enjoy together. Every Saturday morning, all family members are welcome to take a brand-new book home or spend an hour reading for free at a park or café. Your children will be motivated to read if they see you reading and want to read like you, so set an example for them!

At Gower Street Kindergarten (GSK), we can assure you that your kids will enjoy not just reading but learning in general. Our environment has been designed to provide children with many different learning opportunities. Check our PROGRAMME and feel free to contact us at 03 9478 5374.