There are lots of ways that you can help to support your child’s reading! Here are some suggestions of things that you could do or links to websites to help you with your child’s reading.

• Encourage your child to read

Reading helps your child’s wellbeing, develops imagination and has educational benefits too. Just a few minutes a day can have a big impact on children of all ages.

• Read aloud regularly – try to read to your child every day, no matter what age they are!

Stories matter and children love re-reading them and poring over the pictures. Try adding funny voices to bring characters to life.

• Encourage reading choice

Give children lots of opportunities to read different things in their own time – it doesn’t just have to be books. There’s fiction, non-fiction, poetry, comics, magazines, recipes and much more.

• Read together

Choose a favourite time to read together as a family and enjoy it. This might be everyone reading the same book together, reading different things at the same time, or getting your children to read to each other.

• Create a comfortable environment

Make a calm, comfortable place for your family to relax and read independently – or together

• Make use of the local library - https://www.norfolk.gov.uk/libraries-local-history-and-archives/libraries
• Talk about books

This is a great way to make connections, develop understanding and make reading even more enjoyable. Start by discussing the front cover and talking about what it reveals and suggest the book could be about. The talk about what you’ve been reading and share ideas. You could discuss something that happened that surprised you, or something new that you found out. You could talk about how the book makes you feel and whether it reminds you of anything.

• Bring reading to life

You could try cooking a recipe you’ve read together. Would you recommend it to a friend? Alternatively, play a game where you pretend to be the character in a book, or discuss an interesting article you’ve read.

• Make reading active

Play games that involve making connections between pictures, objects and words, such as reading about an object and finding similar things in your home. You could organise treasure hunts related to what you’re reading. Try creating your child’s very own book by using photos from your day and adding captions.