The holidays have finally arrived, which means it’s time to squeeze in as much quality family time before the new school year arrives once again!
The holidays are also a great time for children to brush up on their reading skills, build on key aspects of language and literacy, and get exposed to new genres of writing. As they might view reading during class as difficult or boring, getting them engaged in reading activities and games during the holidays is key to unlocking a love for reading that could last a lifeline.
Here are 3 simple reading activities you and your child can try out before the holidays come to a close.
1. Create a personal reading corner at home
A fun exercise for getting young children interested in reading is by helping them set up a dedicated reading area at home. This can be as simple as a comfy chair accompanied by a small shelf of books, or a whole corner of their room dressed up with fluffy pillows, comfy cushions, and even a collection of snacks. By getting them involved in the decorating process, it helps them see reading as something that’s fun and uniquely theirs.
2. Play language and literacy games
Who says reading only means books? Reading games can be just as effective in raising your child’s literacy and language skills compared to reading only books over and over again. Play ‘I Spy’ when you’re on the go or in the car, or challenge your little ones to create A to Z lists related to their favourite hobbies and activities. Age-appropriate versions of classic games like Hangman, Taboo, or Scrabble are also great at encouraging them to expand their vocabulary, while also building upon associations between the words they learn and the experiences and environments around them.
3. Create your own story together
Children have amazing imaginations, so why not make full use of that to get your child interested in reading? Make up stories together during their bedtime routine or as part of your daytime activities, and give your child prompts to encourage their participation.
These stories can be completely original or build on events in their favourite books and other recognisable tales. For example, you can ask them how they might reimagine the fairy tale of Goldilocks and the Three Bears: What if all three porridge bowls were cold? What type of bears are the three bears? What other animals could Goldilocks have met during her adventures in the woods?
Verbalising the stories out (rather than writing them onto paper or typing them into a computer) also has added benefits for improving your young child’s phonics skills. Take the time to put what they’ve learned in phonics classes into practice each time they read out the story or make new additions to your tale.
Encourage a lifelong love for reading with MindChamps Enrichment
Learning how to love reading has many benefits for young children. This extends from cognitive benefits such as improved memory and comprehension skills to encouraging creativity and imagination. Encouraging them to read widely also helps them cultivate an appreciation for the variety of human experiences found in books and other creative media.
If your child is still in their preschool years, another way to work on their reading, language, and literacy skills is by enrolling them in phonics courses in Singapore. Our MindChamps Reading with Phonics classes prepares them for primary school by ensuring they can read with understanding in English. This means going beyond simply memorising sight words and phonics to working on their reading comprehension and analytical skills.
Older children in primary school who may need a boost in their reading capabilities can also benefit from our Art of Learning Primary 1 & 2 and Art of Learning Primary 3-6 programmes. Art of Learning is our holistic enrichment programme aimed at imparting key learning techniques to help your child succeed beyond the classroom. Techniques for memory retention, active recall study methods, communication, time management, and self-confidence are all covered during the programme, all of which unlock your child’s Champion Mindset™.
Get in touch to find out more about our programmes or arrange for a visit to any of our enrichment centres in Singapore near you.