The Benefits of Reading Games for Kids

Incorporating reading games for kids into the learning process is a great way to get your child on the right path for reading success.

Every kid loves to have fun, but book learning for some children is not something that would be put into the fun category. The key is to use activities that make learning to read a fun and engaging process.

READING GAMES FOR KIDS

Most of our brain development occurs before the age of 5. So starting the reading process early can instill a desire in your youngster to learn more. Our job as parents is to see that our children take an interest in gaining new knowledge through the written word. This can be done by associating learning to read with enjoyment. One of the ways in which this can be accomplished is by integrating reading games for kids into the process.

There are many benefits that can be gained by playing reading games for kids. Games can help:

children practice their reading and writing skills. increase a child's vocabulary and aptitude for spelling. Some activities are even designed to improve their grammar. improve their memory and increase their mental capacity. enhance pronunciation and fluency of the language. process information faster, especially if there is a time limit. encourage children to be more imaginative and creative. give children a different perspective and encourage them to explore new ideas. instill self-confidence in children.

There are numerous reading games for kids available in the store or online, but parents have to be critical when deciding which activity to choose for their youngster. Research the game so that you are getting a useful learning tool that will work not only for your child but also for you.

So before buying an educational game, here are some of the questions to ask yourself:

1. What are the age ranges for the game? Start with age appropriate learning tools as a base. Depending on your child's abilities, you may want to go up or down in age and progress from there.

2. Is the learning style used suitable for your child? Does it incorporate auditory, kinesthetic and/or visual learning styles?

3. Is it a game that is played independently? Or is it played with parents or friends? Parental participation will allow you to track your child's progress and playing with friends can make it more enjoyable.

4. Is it interactive and engaging? Will it hold your child's attention?

5. Can your child set the pace of the game and how it progresses?

6. Does it have some sort of picture illustrations? Children may find it more visually appealing and entertaining than the ones that have no drawings.

7. Is it a progressive game with a defined curriculum? Does it teach each topic in an ordered fashion and not jump from one topic to another?

8. Does it include every aspect like the alphabet, vowels, phonics, consonants, punctuation, etc.?

9. Is there a suitable reward system? This can improve your youngster's confidence.

There are no wrong or right answers as each child's needs, interests, attention, and learning style differ. What is important is that you evaluate any reading games for kids based on your child's individuality and ability.

Though it is true that reading games for kids help children to develop comprehension and writing and speaking skills, they should only be used as a tool and not as a replacement for actual books.

Even the best of these games can only encourage kids to read. It's up to you to foster a love for knowledge through positive interaction, reading to them, reading with them and encouraging reading success.

The Benefits of Reading Games for Kids

Gale Lennard is a teacher at heart and shares the knowledge she's gained as a reading tutor at Teaching-Reading-Fundamentals.com from her experience. She includes info on reading games for kids.

READING GAMES FOR KIDS