13 Tips For Raising A Homeschooled Reader

1. Read to your child. Begin at the earliest age possible.
2. Make frequent trips to the library. Start them young. Most libraries have play areas for small children. Children learn to become familiar and comfortable in the library surroundings.
3. Show an enthusiasm for books. Share your love of books with your child. Show them the pleasure you get from reading.
4. Keep lots of books in your home. Make books a part of the furnishings. Keep them within reach of the child so he/she can read them whenever the mood strikes.
5. Be a reader yourself. There is nothing better than setting an example for your child.
6. Turn off the TV. Just think how many hours can be spent reading books rather than watching TV.
7. Make a special place in your home just for reading. Put a bean bag chair near the bookshelves. Put a headboard on your child's bed with a built-in bookshelf and a light over an older child's bed for reading.
8. Plaster your child's room with wordy posters. An alphabet lining the top of your child's bedroom is effective.
9. Keep lots of drawing & writing materials on hand. Reading and writing go hand-in-hand.
10. Play alphabet/word games when traveling. Read road signs, billboards and license plates.
11. Stick with the classics. These will increase a child's vocabulary and are proven literary gems.
12. Read for the sake of reading. Don't turn everything into a lesson. Enjoy the characters and stories with your child.
13. Teach your child phonics. These are the mechanics of reading.