Reading is an essential skill that’s important to begin developing during the early stages of childhood. Through consistent early practice, core skills like reading comprehension can be improved upon and become a significant strength in later life. If children are struggling, it’s important for parents to be aware of and familiar with strategies that can help. According to research from the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES), parental involvement and intervention is a primary factor in enabling children to read at grade level. There are many ways parents can help children read and improve their literacy skills such as:
- Read to and with children.
- Teach the alphabet and the sounds of letters.
- Balance learning with fun.
- Label items in the house.
- Consult a reading specialist if needed.
- Rhyme and sing songs, focusing on the sounds of the word.
- Build a vocabulary by having a conversation.
- Ask questions about stories read by or to the child. This is valuable for reading comprehension.
However you choose to teach a child to read, make it fun and enjoyable. No child wants to do something boring. One way to do this is by incorporating online games; online games can broaden a reading curriculum and make learning fun, so children stay interested and excited about reading. By combining education with fun, kids will start asking you when it’s reading time.
If you’re wondering where to start, cut out the guessing, and choose from our list of credible and age appropriate online reading games with these kid-friendly sites:
Reading Games For Ages 3-6
- PBS Kids: A comprehensive collection of reading games bound to get any child excited about reading using some of their favorite educational TV characters.
- Interactive Reading: 10 activities and games that get young children excited about reading.
- Guided Reading: Interactive reading games of rhymes, frequently used words and letters.
- Read with Phonics: Choose from activities based on your child’s reading level.
- Teach Your Monster to Read: An interactive activity allowing children to create their own character and teach it the first steps of reading.
- Sesame Street: This popular kid show has reading games that get the grouch out of anyone.
- Common Sense Media: Dozens of the best reading
online games and apps. - Education.com: Various fun games to teach your youngster the early concepts of reading.
- Suessville: This popular series of books puts Dr. Seuss in a town of reading fun.
- Word Workout: This game of hidden words gives the brain a workout.
Reading Games For Ages 6-10
- Sight Words: The Mansfield/ Richland County Library provides over 10 reading games.
- Professor Garfield: Several goofy games to get children excited about reading.
- School Radio: A collection of audio resources that is centered on using the imagination to help children read.
- Storyline: Streaming videos of members of the Screen Actors Guild Foundation reading children’s books.
- ABCYa: A gaming resource that enables your children to learn about nouns, verbs, parts of speech, and other grammar concepts.
- Web Tales: Kids can create their own wacky tales by entering phrases.
- Fun English Games: 4 reading comprehension games that strengthen your child’s ability to grasp major concepts.
- Funbrain Reading: A collection of fun, silly and educational games.
Reading Games For Ages 10 and Up
- Game On: Early middle school games that teach and enhance writing skills.
- Story Starter: It’s more than a game, it’s your story. It’s a fun way to create a play, novel or script.
- My Hero: My Hero program is an opportunity for students to read and write about heroes.
- Fridge Magnet: A fridge scrabble magnet game of poetry.
- Reading Activities: Choose from over 1,125 reading games.
- Khan Academy: A popular resource amongst parents to help teach syntax, usage and style.
- Comprehend This: A comprehension activity using the story Nasreddin and the Pot.
- Mr. Nussbaum: The ultimate teacher’s lounge to teach spelling, vocabulary, and functional literacy.
- Word Central: Reading games created by Merriam-Webster that improve vocabulary and language skills.
Reading Sites For Parents
- Reading Rockets: A monthly newsletter and site with tips to help parents raise strong readers in English and Spanish.
- U.S. Department of Education: Editor’s picks of the best reading strategies for parents to use with their children.
- Scholastic: Insight on why reading aloud to children is important and how to do it effectively.
- Get Ready to Read: Resources designed to support parents and educators in developing literacy skills before kindergarten.
- ReadWriteThink: After school printouts and resources for parents to encourage and engage their children as they teach them to read and write.
- Reading Partners: An organization dedicated to helping children read at grade level by fourth grade with helpful information and tips for parents on raising a reader.
- All About Adolescent Literacy: A website tailored specifically for parents and educators of kids in grades 4-12 that are struggling with reading and writing.
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