Playtimes HK Magazine November 2017 Issue | Page 66

finish a chapter and get out of the door
for a night out, or wants to have a glass
of wine and allow the ‘adult time’ to
begin, but it is important to remember
that it is perhaps the questioning and
responses thrown up through a reading
session that help a child to learn and
grow the most.
Inspiration for the toddler stage
• Where the Wild Things Are by
Maurice Sendak
• You Choose by Pippa Goodhart
• Harold and the Purple Crayon by
Crockett Johnson
*available at Bookazine and Book
Depository
StoryBox magazine introduces
toddlers to the love of reading – it
includes a book-length story to read
64
www.playtimes.com.hk
aloud, sections on science, picture
stories, comic-strips, games and fun
activities, and it arrives addressed to
your child in the mail box each month.
(www.bayard.com.hk/StoryBox)
Emerging readers
Children become interested in letters
and recognising words themselves at
different ages. Many parents find that
it can start off as a vague interest and
develop in fits and starts, with quick
bursts of sudden comprehension. It is
so important that you don’t fret if your
child is not the first to read a few words;
children pick up on parents fretting
and it only serves to introduce stress
to the situation. Reading should be fun
and your child will learn to read. If it’s
a few months later than little Johnny
next door, who cares? In any case, late
readers often grow up to be better,
more enthusiastic consumers of books.
When your child is interested, support
them, but try not to force it and risk
introducing a negative association with
reading. Having said that, it is wise to
keep open communication with your
child’s teacher because if she suspects
there could be a reason for a reading
challenge, it may be a good idea to have
your child evaluated in case of dyslexia,
poor eyesight or other conditions.
Some tips:
Do not rush your child. Allow them
to start picking out words, reading
alternate pages or reading some of the
time – over time, they will build up their
ability and stamina for reading.
Don’t approach your child’s learning
to read as work or a job. Your most
important job is to foster a love of reading.
Early readers
When your child starts learning to
read, don’t suddenly stop reading
aloud to him. If you abruptly replace
something they’ve grown to love with
something that is a struggle, they may