Free Information From Cool Kid's Chairs

An important message from Cool Kid's Chairs -- READ TO YOUR CHILD

Important Information from CoolKidsChairs.com

One of the most wonderful things about our kid's chairs and sofas is that they can provide a place for and promote an extremely important activity for our children -- READING! At Cool Kid's Chairs we understand the value of fostering a love for reading in our children. The benefits of reading are many, and these benefits perpetuate throughout a lifetime. Cool Kid's Chairs would like to share with you some important tips for motivating your child to read, courtesy of the remarkable organization Reading Is Fundamental (www.rif.org).

Use a Cool Kid's Chair to help foster a love of reading in your child! Shown in picture, Child's "Time to Read" Rocking Chair.

Ages 0-4

Your Baby, Toddler, and Preschooler

It is never too early to introduce books to a child. It is important to nurture the emergent literacy of babies, toddlers, and preschoolers.

Your Baby and Toddler

Here are a few things that you can do to help build your child's literacy skills:

· Read aloud to your baby for only a few minutes at a time. Read a little longer as your older baby is willing to listen.

· Point to things in picture books and name them. As your children learn to talk, ask them to "point and say."

· Set aside at least one regularly scheduled time each day for reading. Make it a part of your toddler's routine. Also take toddlers to the library or bookstore for story hour.

· Recite nursery rhymes and sing songs. Rhymes help develop a young child's ear for language.

Try introducing the following types of books to your child:

· Cloth, vinyl, and board books that are durable for babies

· Books with familiar objects to name

· Simple stories about a toddler's everyday experiences

· A collection of Mother Goose or other nursery rhymes

Ages 5-8

Your Young Reader (ages 5-8)

From kindergarten through third grade, you may see tremendous growth in your child's literacy development. While your child may receive a lot of educational guidance from teachers, remember that you play a major role in your child's success in reading and writing at every stage of development.

Your Beginning Reader (Grades K-2)

Here are a few things that you can do to help build your child's literacy skills:

· Let your child gradually share some of the reading aloud. You read a sentence, paragraph, or page, then it's your child's turn. Take over if your beginner seems tired or discouraged to ensure that reading is always fun, not just hard work.

· If your child can't sound out a word, suggest skipping it, reading the rest of the sentence, and deciding what word would make sense.

· Leave notes on the refrigerator or in a lunch bag for your child to discover and read.

· Take your new reader to the library to sign up for his or her own library card.

Try introducing the following types of books to your child:

· Read-aloud books with plots to follow and challenging vocabulary

Your Developing Reader (Grades 2-3)

Here are a few things that you can do to help build your child's literacy skills:

· When your children read aloud, help them catch and correct their own mistakes by asking guiding questions. For example, you might ask, Does that word really make sense here?, What letter does it start with? What do you think the word could be?

· Talk about the books you read together and about the books your children are reading on their own.

· Don't stop reading aloud! Developing readers can read simple chapter books alone, but they still need you to help read the kinds of books that will challenge their thinking and build their vocabulary.

· Suggest that your child read to a younger brother, sister, or neighbor. It will be good practice, a chance to show off skills, and an inspiration for the younger listener.

Try introducing the following types of books to your child:

· Novels for middle readers that you can read aloud together

· Information books for young readers

· Books in a variety of genres, including biographies, humorous stories, and poetry

· Easy-to-read books your child can read alone

· Books in a variety of genres, including nonfiction and poetry

Ages 9-12

Your Independent Reader (ages 9-12)

A child in grades four through six has probably mastered basic reading skills and can read independently for pleasure. This is a great time for you to keep encouraging and motivating your child to read more often. And don't forget the importance of reading aloud to your child and participating in reading- and writing-related family activities.

Here are a few things that you can do to help build your child's literacy skills:

· Continue reading aloud books that challenge your childs listening vocabulary and thinking skills. Reading books that are above your childs reading level will help him or her grow as a reader.

· Encourage your childs independent reading by providing a steady flow of books and conversation about them.

· Help children who seem to lose interest in reading find the time to read at home for pleasure. Make sure that their lives havent become overly scheduled.

· Help your children find more reasons to write. Enlist them in taking messages, making the shopping list, writing letters, and answering email.

Try introducing the following types of books to your child:

· Classic fiction and other more recent novels to read aloud together

· Longer chapter books for middle readers

· Books in a variety of genres, including biography, fiction, nonfiction, and poetry

Ages 13 & up

Your Teen (ages 13 & Up)

Your teen has a lot of competing interests that may not make reading a priority to him. Between their active social lives and extracurricular activities, it's no wonder many adolescents choose not to be regular readers.

Getting older children interested in reading remains a challenge for most parents just like you.

Reading With Your Whole Family

Reading With Your Whole Family

Family involvement is one of the key components of children's success in reading. Involvement may take many forms reading aloud to children, checking on homework assignments, limiting TV viewing, establishing a daily family routine, monitoring out-of-school activities, talking and listening to children, and praising children's efforts.

Parents, grandparents, aunts, uncles, and siblings all serve as role models to children and can be critical to their reading success. It is important to involve the entire family in building home reading spaces, in taking time out for reading aloud and storytelling, and in participating in motivational activities that the whole family can enjoy together.

Additional Information

For more important information, please visit Reading Is Fundamental at www.rif.org!