Here are some ways to increase your child’s knowledge of phonics and encourage reading:
Sight Word Cards: You will need word strips or index cards, book rings, markers, and a hole puncher. Select the sight words you will be working on with your child. Try not to overwhelm your child and list no more than ten words. Write one word per card. Punch a hole in the index cards and bind together with a book ring. Have your child draw a picture on each card to correspond with the word if possible.
Label It: Using sticky notes label items in your home. You can begin with one room and once your child has mastered the words move onto the next room.
Flash Cards: Using index card make your own flash cards. For color words, write the name of the word on one card and color another card with the corresponding color. Now you can use these as a memory game. For phonics you can write the letter, like C, on one card and a picture like a cat on another.
Reading Nook: One of the best ways to encourage reading is having age appropriate books accessible to your child. Find a cozy corner in your living room to place a basket of books and a bean bag or child sized chair. In the afternoons have a quiet reading time for twenty to thirty minutes each day.
Bedtime Stories: The old time tradition of reading bedtime stories is still one of the best ways to encourage a child to read. Pick stories that engage the child and spark imagination. Your child will likely find a book that she will want read every night. The consistency is fantastic as you will soon notice your child trying to “read” the book on her own.