Do you want to improve your child’s literacy skills but don’t know how? Then you’ve come to the right place. Read on to learn ten great ideas to help boost your child’s literacy skills and make them a confident reader. The key to success is to make reading fun and to show your child how useful it is to be able to read for themselves!

Here is a list of ten great ways you can build your child’s literacy skills at home or when out and about:

1. Read and find

Create cards that have the names of common household items written on them. Lay them out on a table face down and then ask your child to pick up one card and read the word. Once they have correctly read the word, they must find the item in the house and put it next to the card with the word on it.

2. Read and label

Grab some Post-it notes and write the name of a household item on each one. Get your child to read each Post-it note and then take it and attach it to the correct item. If you want to make it even more fun, time how long it takes them.

3. Simon says cards

Create cards with basic instructions such as “stand on one leg”, or “put your hands on your head” on each card.  Put the cards face down on a table and then let your child select one, help them to read the instructions out loud and then get them to complete the action written on the card.

4. Treasure Hunt

Hide a treat or a favourite item in the house or the garden. On a series of cards write a list of instructions that will tell them where the treasure is. The first card should tell your child where the second card is hidden. Then the second card should tell your child where the next card is hidden. Repeat the process until you have enough clue cards (About 10 to 15 cards is a good idea.) Have your child read the information on each card and then follow the clues to find the hidden treasure. 

5. Say the Signs

Take a walk around your local neighbourhood. Look at the street signs and the signs for shops and businesses. Encourage your child to try to read some of the signs. You could even plan a trip to your local park or shop. Write down the directions to your destination, then get your child to read the directions and find your destination. Can they identify which street it is on? Can they read the name on the outside of the building?  

6. Read and Dine

If you are out in a restaurant or café, give your child the task of reading the menu aloud. Point to what you want to eat and drink on the menu and ask them to tell you what you want to order. If other people are present, ask your child to do the same for them. When the waiter or waitress comes to take your order, let your child try to read the menu and ask for the items. While waiting for your order to arrive, you can ask them what ingredients might be included in the dishes and ask them to spell certain words.

7. Shopping Checklist

Create a list of items you typically buy from the shop. Get your child to read each item on the list and then have them try to find the item in the fridge, freezer or cupboard. If the item cannot be found, or if there is very little left and the item is needed, have your child place a tick or other symbol next to the item on the list. 

When you go to the shops, ask your child to read the items that have a tick beside them and then ask them to find the item. Make sure that they are reading the label correctly and not just identifying the item by branding. Once they have read the label correctly, they need to find the corresponding item on the list and cross them off.

8. Meaningful Mealtimes

This activity is great for older children as some vocabulary will be more advanced! While at the breakfast table encourage your child to read the ingredients list on the cereal packet, marmalade jar etc. You could even get them to compare the ingredients in various cereals, jams, spreads and other food items and draw a comparison chart to see which ingredients they have in common.

Bonus tip!

Also, get your child to help prepare meals. Make a list of items to be put on the table for a meal or ingredients to be used in a recipe. Get your child to read the list and then find the relevant items. You could even create a chore checklist for setting the table with a list of items and where they are found. 

9. Make A Story

Collect 3-5 random objects and encourage your child to think of a story that includes all the objects. Then talk about the objects, what they are used for, what they are made of, where they are found etc. Next, write down these words and challenge your child to spell them out loud to you. Then ask your child to write down the story they have invented. When they have finished, have them illustrate it and label the picture or pictures they have drawn.

10. Listen And Read

Does your child prefer technology over a paper book? If you have a tablet or iPad, download a classic book or set of short stories you think they will enjoy, along with the audio version. 

For free ebooks and audiobooks for children go to: Loyal Books and select the genre for children or teen/young adults from the sidebar.

Next, choose a comfortable place to sit with your child and read the e-book while listening to the audio. Have them point to each word as they hear it being spoken. When you have finished, talk to your child about the story, the characters and the setting. This will give you valuable insight into how much they recall. 

As a follow-up activity, get them to write a story about what happens next. Alternatively, they could write about what happened before the story started. You could also have them write a different ending or they could choose a favourite character and write an original story based on them. 

Learning isn’t limited to the classroom! Reading is a basic life skill and by making it relevant and fun, children are much more likely to want to learn. Try out these ten great ideas to improve your child’s literacy skills and let me know how they went by commenting below.

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