Parenting Pointers: Encouraging Early Literacy with Interactive Reading

Disclosure: I received complimentary products to facilitate this post. All opinions are my own.

I recently read a book called BORN READING: Bringing Up Bookworms in a Digital Age—From Picture Books to eBooks and Everything in Between. It would be a great resource for anyone with babies. As parents, we all know that it's important to read. But what makes this book great is that it is appropriate for the digital age - incorporating appropriate use of technological tools. It also really focuses on interactive reading, reading that includes kids at a higher level than just passive listening. Even though the book is geared to be used right off the bat from birth, many of the techniques I happily incorporated into reading time with my daughters (ages four and six). I had a chance to interview the author to learn more.

1)   What was the inspiration behind writing this book?

I started reading to my daughter from the first few weeks after she was born. By the time she turned six months old, I could see that this early reading had a positive effect. So I interviewed more than 50 different experts—from authors to teachers to librarians to child development professionals—to find out why. These amazing experts showed me the best ways to read with children and gave me lots of recommendations to share with parents.

2)   What sets this book apart from other books encouraging early literacy experiences?

In addition to sharing the best print books for early literary experiences, I worked hard to create a quick and easy reference for parents to use in this digital age. We have these powerful devices in our homes, but we need to cultivate the right kind of experiences with children using these devices. I outline a simple set of techniques that will make any reading experience better, from a device to a print book. If you want to read more, I wrote an essay about why kids need truly interactive experiences—including a few digital recommendations for parents.

3)   Why is it so important to expose kids to reading from an early age?

Children’s brains are hard-wired to respond to the human voice. The experience is so important for children that the American Academy of Pediatrics now recommends that parents read to children from infancy onward. The act of interactive reading expands your child’s vocabulary, comprehension and IQ. But beyond all of these educational values, you are showing them the value of reading. An early love of reading will serve your child well for the rest of their life.

4) Why is it important to make the reading experience interactive?

Reading a book is always a great experience for a child. However, by using a few simple interactive reading techniques, you can make the experience even more beneficial. You can ask questions, compare the story to your child’s experiences or dramatize the narrative. Simple changes like these turn a passive experience into a participatory reading.

You can learn more about these interactive reading techniques at this blog post