You do not need to be a teacher to help your child with reading. Short, regular reading at home, in a relaxed mood, makes a real difference to how confident children feel with books.
Little and often
Ten to fifteen minutes a day is plenty for most children. Pick a time that works for your family, such as after dinner or at bedtime, and keep it calm and cosy rather than a test.
Let them choose
- Visit the library and let your child pick books, comics or magazines they actually want to read.
- Mix easier books they can enjoy on their own with harder ones you read together.
- Non-fiction counts: books about animals, sport or space are great for curious readers.
Talk about the story
Questions help children understand what they read. Try asking:
- What do you think will happen next, and why?
- How do you think this character feels?
- Which part did you like best?
- Can you tell me what happened in your own words?
When a word is tricky
Give your child a moment to try. Encourage them to sound out the word, look at the picture or read the rest of the sentence for a clue. If they are still stuck, simply tell them the word and keep going, so the story does not lose its flow.
If reading still feels like a struggle, talk to your child’s teacher. A reading assessment can show which skills need a little extra practice.