Reading – is a skill we need for life, and the joy of reading can begin in just the first few months of life!
Research has shown that children who are read to from a young age, will have a better vocabulary range and reading skill than their peers who miss out on this very basic skill. In South Africa, this is identified as one of the biggest contributors to our very challenged education system. Long before the skill of reading is mastered by young children entering Grade 0 and Grade 1 , children are introduced to the LOVE of books by seeing stories and books as a way to discover knowledge. To be able to choose the same beloved tale over and over again, dramatizing the familiar rhymes of fairy tales and learning from the story line of good news and disappointments, a child can learn to really appreciate the power of reading.
Use your local library as a resource to build your child’s opportunity of learning and once the skill is mastered, they can enjoy using technology to expand on the basics of reading and writing skills.
Reading together, provides a beautiful way for parents to have close and intimate time together at the end of the day, emotionally satisfying and comforting for both parent and child to be sharing story time together before bedtime.