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The first secret to you helping your child succeed is for you to know the ways in which your child is one-of-a-kind. In this Quick Tour you’ll get started with a first look at your child’s interests and preferred learning style.
GBE will help you discover
(1) what your child wants to learn.
(2) which of the eight learning styles are natural for your child.
(3) what your child’s learning level is today.
(4) how to motivate your child.
Creative Ways to Motivate a Child to Read and the Benefits
Reading at an early age has so many benefits. It helps a child learn how to relax and enjoy quiet time. It gives a child a sense of accomplishment when they realize they can read a whole book on their own. When a child is read to at an early age they are more apt to enjoy reading the rest of their lives. Not only does reading help them academically but it also helps them socially.
Children learn social skills from reading. They learn sentence structure and how to communicate what they’re trying to express to others. As their reading comprehension grows and they learn the meaning of words by how it’s being used in a story, it helps to broaden their vocabulary. This helps children to be able to express their thoughts in a way that others are able to understand. It also helps them understand what others are trying to convey to them.
Reading at an early age also helps a child learn empathy. They are able to listen to others and take on the perspective of the other person who is speaking to them. This helps them know how to respond to situations that others are going through.
When a child learns to read and enjoy it at an early age it helps them do better in school. A child’s vocabulary and spelling is greatly increased which also helps with their self esteem.
Reading helps with concentration which is a great skill to have throughout their school years and beyond. The more a child reads the more they are able to block out distractions.
A child that learns to enjoy reading at an early age will have a longer attention span and this will help with discipline and better memory retention.
Reading exercises a child’s brain. It can spark curiosity and help grow their imagination. A child will discover that just by picking up a book the world is at their fingertips. They can time travel, explore new things, read about the lives of others, read about history and go anywhere in the world their little hearts desire.
Below are some ways to help motivate your child to read without making it feel like a chore. The more they enjoy reading the more the world begins to open up to them.
Make sure your child sees you read. Talk to your child when you see something that reminds you of what you’ve read. This will get your child to link the two things together by remembering how they saw you read and now you’re talking about it at another time.
Cozy up with a good book by creating a nook or an indoor tent with blankets for you and your child. Have them help and talk to them about how relaxing it will be to lay down with a good book. A fun gift for the tent would be a headlamp that they can use while in their tent to help them see better. Just imagine the giggles when they first put it on!
Some children have a hard time tuning out distractions. TV’s and video games can distract a child if they’re in their view. Take them outdoors and set up an area under a tree with a blanket and pillows. Children love to help and will enjoy the preparation it takes before settling down and reading their favorite or new book.
Take your child on a date. If your child knows that you are planning time to take them on a date they’ll get excited. Take them out on a lunch to a book store or the library. Or plan to go on a date to an ice cream parlor after visiting the book store or library.
If you have a child who loves helping in the kitchen, let them help you read recipes while being your helper. There are many recipes for children that are easy to read. Here’s a great site that offers recipes for early learners that shows pictures of the ingredients along with the words to help with their reading: https://activity-mom.com/2016/07/recipes-for-beginning-readers/
All children love to receive mail. A monthly subscription to a magazine would be exciting to the child. Highlight Magazine and National Geographic Little Kids are just two examples of great subscriptions to help children love to read.
Celebrating the birthday of an author or a character would be fun for a child. They could dress up as a character from a book and help make a cake for the party. Celebrate Dr. Seuss on March 2nd, Harry Potter on July 31st and Roald Dahl on September 13th.
Have field trips with your children. Read a book about giraffes then go to the zoo to see them. Read a book about stars then lay down a blanket in the evening and help them point out the constellations. Read a book about bugs and head out to see how many you can find. The possibilities are endless!
Children love to watch shows or movies on tv. You could read a story then watch that same movie or show afterward. Engage with your child and ask what differences they found and ask if they preferred the book or the movie. You might be surprised to hear that they enjoyed the book more. The time they had snuggling up with the book and the excitement of what was to come next can supersede the movie.
I’m sure you’ll be able to find one or more of these examples to help you motivate your child to read. All it really takes is finding what they love and expand on it. If they’re little jokesters, get some joke books to read. If they’re little chefs, get some recipes to try. All you need to remember is if you’re having fun then they will too!
Child’s Interest – Talents
Your child may not be interested in reading, but she may be interested in the stars or jellyfish or music. If she’s interested in jellyfish, help her find a YouTube or a virtual field trip that involves jellyfish and soon she will be learning (and reading!). We’ll help you discover what your child wants to learn and then we’ll help you use that as the key that unlocks all kinds of additional learning.
Six Ways to Spot and Nurture Your Child’s Talents
Discovering Your Child’s Strengths and Interest
10 Ways to Unleash Your Child’s Talents
5 Ways to help your children find their gifts and talents
How to Nurture Your Child’s Talent in 3 Easy Steps
Learning Styles
Did you know that not all children learn in the same way and that most children have several different ways they learn best? If your child is having trouble learning it is probably because somebody is trying to make them learn in the wrong way… like using a screwdriver to pound a nail into a board. There are eight ways children learn. We’ll help you discover the way or the ways your child learns naturally.
Learning Styles Inventory Elementary Version
What’s My Child’s Learning Preference?
Click the button below to learn more about learning difficulties.
Child’s Learning Level
Learning includes, but goes far beyond education, grade level, and test scores. Your child is constantly learning how to succeed in this world. First, learning about the “out there”… how people react, what is dangerous and what is safe, and how things “work”, etc. Second, learning about the “in here”… body-sensations, emotions, thoughts, values, etc. The combination of the “out there” and the “in here” is your child’s learning level. GBE will help you find your child’s current learning level and help you take your child to the next level.
Monitoring Progress: Questions Parents Should Ask & Discuss
How to Determine Your Child’s Reading Level
Free Dyslexia Test for Children
Click the button below to learn more about learning difficulties.
Set Child’s Learning Goals
You know your child (please see “Interests”, “Learning Styles”, and “Learning Level”). Now is the time to put all that to work. GBE will help you develop a plan for what your child might want to learn in the next 30, 60, and 90 days.
4 Steps for Helping Your Child Set Effective Goals
Types of Goals Your Child Should Be Getting
How to Set Goals for Your Child This School Year