The Benefits of Teaching Early Reading Skills at Home

Storytime is a favorite ritual for many families with young children. Selecting books to read before bedtime and watching as your child follows along is both heart-warming and can also feel like an enrichment activity. And while it is true that children who are read to regularly will often form a familiar bond with the idea of reading, there is merit in engaging younger children with additional literacy-building activities. 

When it comes to early childhood literacy, there is more than reading aloud to a child to support their growth. Parents are a child’s first teachers, and practicing early reading skills can help your child to develop strong habits before they enter the classroom. Even as a child does start school, continuing to practice literacy at home can make up for any gaps that are left in the classroom. 

Three Key Reasons Parents Should Teach Reading at Home

Although the classroom is a place where your child will learn many of the fundamental skills required to become a strong reader, it is especially important for parents to help build on those skills at home. 

• Parents lay the foundation – Parents are in a special position in which they are able to set a strong foundation of literacy with their children. There are many creative ways to boost literacy outside of just reading bedtime stories. For example, adding writing activities or playing related games can make the process of learning to read fun for children. 

• Parents are their children’s best advocates – By starting a reading program at home, parents are often able to identify any challenges that their early reader is facing. For example, signs of dyslexia can start to show in children as early as one or two years old. Recognizing these signs can help you to advocate for the best reading programs and teacher support for your child once they enter school.
• Schools can’t do it all – While children are taught the fundamental reading skills in school, additional practice is required outside of the classroom in order for children to develop as beginning readers. A teacher who is working with twenty or more students in a classroom will not be able to provide individual attention to each student. This is where the role of the parent comes in. Working with a supplementary reading program that is tailored to your child’s specific reading level can make all of the difference and can help to alleviate the frustration that many early readers experience. 

Start Today with a Free Trial Membership

At Stepping Stones Together, we understand that selecting the reading program that works best for your child is the top priority for all parents who are starting this journey with their children. That’s why we offer a free trial before you sign up. With your free trial, you’ll have access to our whole library of online books and can take your time in order to decide if this program best meets the needs of your beginner reader. Have questions or want to learn more? Contact us today!