National Read Aloud Month!

February is National Read Aloud Month!

NightLight supports initiatives dedicated to the mental, physical and spiritual wellness of children. The Read Aloud movement educates parents to read to children for as little as 15 minutes every day for a solid foundation for the future.

Before elementary school, kindergarten and even preschool, your child is learning exponentially. An infants brain literally doubles in size during the first year of life and gets to 90% of its mature size by age 5!

Parents are a child’s first and most important teacher. Watch as your child’s mind lights up by following these easy tips:

1. Enthusiasm is key to engage your little one. Create a sea of positivity around the concept of reading and your child will be sure to catch the wave. The more expression while reading, the more emotion will show with every word. All the words, smiles and engagement are building your child’s brain. This isn’t limited to reading – try singing, talking and playing together every day as well.
2. Let the kiddo turn the pages of the book or follow the words with their fingers. The more interactive, the better!
3. Children do not need to be sitting still while reading to them. Let them run around and be active around your home as you read aloud. Snack time or bedtime is a perfect time for a quick read! They will still be benefiting from this important task with a lifetime of learning and an advanced literacy rate. This could also benefit parents in reading words they don’t usually say in everyday life and building an emotional bond with their cherished little one.
4. Make the words and pictures in the book memorable. Relate the actions of the characters to every day activities in the child’s life.  The more ways you can incorporate this practice will allow it to be a treasured part of your child’s day.
5. Provide variety in books and topics; however, don’t be surprised if your child wants to read their favorites over and over again. Practice makes perfect! The more the child practices, the easier it will be to read and learn throughout preschool and grade school.

For more information on the benefits of reading and helpful tips, visit Read Aloud.

We have incorporated this initiative in our seven clinics in the Greater Houston Area by giving a free book and bookmark to preschool patients, as well as having some very special friends stop by for our very own Read Aloud Day to show our patients that their favorite characters read everyday!