Tips to Help Encourage Your Child to Read

Reading can be an excellent solution for keeping children busy, productive and calm. I know that reading for many children is drudgery and not fun. But if we try to make it more enjoyable, it will help your child in two ways: keeping them on the road to literacy, and keeping them entertained.  Oh, and the third is keeping them out of your hair.



Local Libraries

Don’t forget about your local library. Even though it may not have everything you want for your child who is visually impaired or blind, there are services you can take advantage of.

• Explore the library with your child and point out and describe points of interest such as unusual carpets, exciting displays, etc.
• Besides audio books, don’t forget print books that you can read to your child.
• The library can also order materials from the Library of Congress.
• If your library has a MAC computer or iPad, ask the staff to turn on Voiceover.

Tactile Mazes

While writing this news brief, I learned about the benefits and advantages of Tactile Mazes. They can be part of a pre-reading activity or simply a game, for all ages, that is just plain fun. Playing with tactile mazes is a great way to talk with your child about directions, getting lost, and plotting a path. You can create your own Tactile Mazes.

Additional Tips to Help Encourage Your Child to Read

• Eight Ways children who are blind or visually impaired can enjoy the library
• Ten Tips for reading aloud to your child