Child Reading Games And Activities
When your child is just starting to read, progress can be slow and painful. Early readers stop often to decode words. They pay no attention to punctuation. They read without expression and probably not much understanding of what they are reading. Your child needs lots of patience and encouragement from you to get through this difficult early reading stage.
So why not lighten things up every once in a while by having some fun with the reading games and activities featured below which my children and I have enjoyed? It might help to remind your child that reading is really supposed to be fun, something that could get forgotten when struggling through an easy reader book.
Here are Five Reading games to play at home:
Game 1: Sound scavenger hunt
Before your child can successfully read, he has to be able to isolate sounds. A scavenger hunt is a fun way to practice this skill, and you don’t need any supplies — just you and your child!
Say to your child, “I wonder if you can find something in the house that starts with B.” Say the phonetic sound of the letter, not the letter name. Repeat the sound a few times and then send him to search for something starting with that sound. Every child is different, but this is generally a good game for a 3 or 4 year old.
A fun and slightly easier variation is ‘I Spy.’ Gather 5–6 little objects on a rug or table. Each object should start with a different sound — for example, a toy pig, an apple and a ball. Then say “I spy something starting with ‘P.’” Say the “P” sound, not the name of the letter, and let your child find the pig.
Game 2: Secret message game
This game is so simple, yet I have seen many children fall in love with it and play it daily!
Cut some blank slips of paper, get a pencil and tell your child you want to show her a game. Tell her you’re going to write a secret message just for her. Write it on a slip of paper, give it to her, and ask her to read it silently. Then ask her to find the object with that name and place the label on it.
Start with easy words like box, cup, mug and doll before moving on to more challenging household objects like plant, drum and window. Here is a great list of phonetic words if you find yourself stuck.
Game 3: Commands
This is basically like charades. It’s a fun rainy day game because it combines reading with movement. This can be played with you and your child, two children taking turns, or simply your child by himself.
Write different action words on small pieces of paper or cardstock. Make sure to start with phonetic actions like run, sit, hop, hug, jog, sob, jump, skip, stand, stomp and clap. Ask your child to choose a paper and perform the action while you guess what it is. Take turns!
As he masters the phonetic words, you can add more complicated words or even phrases like ‘get a glass’ or ‘dance a jig.’ If he likes, your child can also think of actions and add his own command cards to the box.
Game 4: Color labels
Apart from ‘red,’ most color names are not phonetic and can be tricky for children to learn, so playing a game is a great way for them to practice.
For this game, cut little slips of paper and write a color on each — use black ink for each label, as color coding them would make this too easy. Begin with just three labels and start with the easiest colors to sound-out — red, black and a third, perhaps your child’s favorite color.
Practice sounding out each color name with your child. When she’s familiar with the three labels, she’s ready to begin to play.
Fold the labels in half and put them in a little basket or box. Ask your child to choose a label and find something in the room of that color. For example, if she chooses a label that reads ‘red,’ she places it on something red. When she’s proficient with those colors, it’s time to add another!
Game 5: Letters Everywhere
Do all you can to encourage your child to read the text around them, for example on cereal packets or signposts. Decode and read text with the Code Breaker Game or match photos with captions in the Kids’ Newspaper Activity.
Game 6: Bingo
Bingo is one of the easiest board games for children to learn, so why not use it to practice reading?
You could make your own board, or use one of the many versions available online. You can say the word for your child to find, hold up a picture, or hold up the word for different variations.
If you try these games at home, the most important thing is to keep it fun!
If your child is getting frustrated, the game is likely too challenging for his current level. Start with easy sounds and words and do not correct your child if he gets it wrong. Just make a note to yourself that he might need more practice with a certain sound or word.
Reading games are a great way for children to get extra practice with their new skills, but their biggest purpose is to spark curiosity and wonder, and get young children excited about reading.
