See abc's® Third Reading Goal for 2011

It was my New Year's goal to share with you three good reading goals during the month of January - goal setting month. And well, with the first month of our New Year quickly slipping into the record books, here is goal number three.

MAKE READING FUN!!!

The See abc's reading program is designed to be fun without much effort on your part by just using the program as designed. The beginning ABC and 123 books are made to "play" with when using the interactive, tactile steps as shown in my blog post on 1/15/11 with the video of the toddler. Kids learn the alphabet through playing alphabet card games and playing the "Guessing Game" (review lesson in our books). They get to learn how to write by "drawing" picture clue pictures with their "magic finger." They learn the vowels with the fun See abc's Vowel Cheer (see on our youtube channel) - www.youtube.com/user/seeabcs

You can make whatever reading program you are using fun by creating a reading chart for your children to keep them motivated. See video posted on 1/24/11. Every now and then for their reading reward, do something special as shown on our previous posts - an outing, a special date night, whatever you know your child would enjoy.

Do NOT make reading time too restricted, meaning children will wiggle. They are two - six years old! Roll with it! We all know that "patience" is a virtue, and this is a good time to nurture that virtue! One student of mine wanted to read her book upside down, "Phrases See What They Say." So, I thought, "Why not?" She did amazingly well with that! Of course, YOU have to keep in charge, but there is no harm in allowing your child to feel like they have some control over what they are doing when feasible. When they get off task, just gently pull them back on.

Let the child have one or two "friends" (of the stuffed or plastic variety) sit and listen to them read. Funny how this helps. Remember, their greatest talent is imagination, and that is why See abc's works so well for them in the first place!

Choose a time to read when your child is happy - not nap time, not when hungry; you get the idea. Be flexible.

There are a multitude of ways to make beginning reading fun. This is all I will share for now. But, the whole key to your child liking to read or not liking to read, is based on the fun-o-meter that YOU establish! Good luck, and please share your comments of other tips on making reading fun for your child.

Doreese