Early Childhood reading

Research shows that children who have been exposed to books and language tend to do better at school. Reading lets you and your child explore a variety of experiences that may not happen in every day activities. This can help to prepare children for life events and to stimulate their imagination and desire to learn.

Reading should always be fun for both you and your child. It should be a relaxing “together” time. It's important that you talk to your child about what you are reading. For example talk about the pictures before you start reading, ask questions, “why did he do that?", speak slowly and point to the words as you read them aloud. It doesn’t matter if you are not a good reader, children will just love the fact that you are spending time with them! Be prepared to read favourite books over and over again, this is how children learn. As the book becomes familiar to the child see if they can finish off the sentence, this is especially good with rhyming books.

The following links have been selected by the Lower Great Southern Communities for Children team. We have made every effort to select relevant sites that are informative and accurate. The material linked is to provide information only. This information is not intended as a substitute for professional consultation with a qualified practitioner therefore if you have any concerns see your GP, Practice Nurse or Child Health Nurse.