Getting ready for school…
From nursery upwards your child will be learning to read, write and do maths for themselves, but there’s a lot you can do now to give them a head start when they get there:
Starting to read!
Enjoying books and stories together at home can help to prepare your child for learning to read.
Before they can read for themselves, encourage your child to ‘read’ the pictures in their books by asking simple questions about what they can see. Getting the idea that the pictures can contain ‘clues’ that will help them read the words is essential when children are learning early reading skills at school.
After you’ve read or listened to a story together, try asking your child about what happened. Retelling a story is great for developing their speaking, listening and memory skills. Asking questions about how the characters might have felt, or how they reacted also helps you child understand different points of view.
The CBeebies Storytime app is packed with playful, imaginative stories designed especially to develop Early Years reading skills. There are fun things to touch, swipe and play with in each story, as well as questions to build your child’s comprehension skills. There are even tips for Grown-ups to help you support your little one’s reading development.
Enjoy!