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5 Nooksy tips on how to develop your child’s reading skills with simple, fun strategies that build confidence, comprehension, and a lifelong love of books

Developing strong reading skills in your little one doesn’t just magically happen overnight (sadly). It’s a journey of small, frequent, meaningful moments. 

Here are some of our top tips to help develop your child’s reading skills...

Make Reading a Shared Experience

Reading time should be an enjoyable, positive experience. By reading aloud together, taking turns to read sentences (known as paired reading), and letting your child see how you enjoy reading books (they’re like little sponges) go a long way for reading to not be seen as a chore. 

Engage with the Story

Take your reading one step further by engaging more deeply with the stories by asking questions before, during, and after you’ve read the story. This encourages them to think about the story, building their comprehension skills. And don’t worry about it if they want to re-read their favourites over and over again This helps build their confidence and reading and language fluency.

Broaden Their Reading Horizons

Even if they have their favs, introduce your little readers to different genres and formats to keep those reading sessions interesting. Don't be afraid to introduce them to ‘stretch books’ that help stretch their reading abilities. You might find yourself pleasantly surprised.

Create a Reading-Friendly Environment

This is such an important one because creating a space for reading and nurturing a culture of reading in your home all play a part in building a habit of reading in your little one.

So creating that cosy reading nook, ensuring you visit the library on a regular basis, and providing your little reader with access to a variety of books makes the world of difference. 

Reading is a Team Game (believe it or not)

Joining your local library opens up doors to endless new stories and friendships. And inviting friends and family (like older siblings, or Granny and Grandpa) to be a part of your little one’s reading adventures is a great way to encourage a love for reading and an opportunity to build precious memories.

But above all, you can be a reading role model for them when your child sees you enjoying books, they’ll be more likely to embrace reading too.

Nooksy makes it super easy to develop your child’s reading skills with your first 3 books for free. Or get your hands on the entire Nooksy library for your whole family, for life, for 90% off. 

Head over to the Nooksy App to see our entire collection of beautifully curated children's books just for you and your family.