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Reading
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Fun ideas
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At school
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Kids' Barn
Fun ideas
Most children learn best when they are doing something for a real purpose and because they
want to, so playing games is an easy way to support their learning. Here are some great
suggestions for activities and games you can do at home or out and about.
Younger readers 3-7 year olds
Language Play
Children enjoy exploring and experimenting with language and it helps them to learn new words
and their meanings and also to listen to the sounds that make those words. So sing, rhyme,
shout, whisper, rap and dance to the beat!
Phonic Games
There are about 44 sounds (made up from the 26 letters of the alphabet) that children learn in
order to read and spell, so finding fun ways to help your child develop an ear for sounds is a
good idea! There are lots of phonic games that can be bought in high street shops, but playing
games such as ‘I spy’ are equally as good.
See our phonics made easy page for more information, including how to pronounce the sounds
correctly.
Memory Games
Memory is really helpful for learning to read; remembering letter sounds, common and tricky
words that don’t fit a pattern, important bits of a story, character names, etc. Card games such as
letter or word flashcards, snap, find the pairs, and remember the objects on a tray are fun ways to
get that memory switched on and working quickly!
Listening Games
Developing good listening skills helps to improve your child’s reading skills too. Noting sounds in
the home (a ticking clock, the microwave ping) or on a walk (bird song, the whoosh of a train), as
well as more sophisticated letter sound games like sound lotto, will help your child to hear the
sounds that words make.
Action Games
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Learning is often more powerful when it’s physical and hands-on so make learning active when
you can! Many children – especially young boys – have lots of energy and find it hard to sit still
and concentrate for long periods and have lots of energy, so use it to good effect. Try action
rhymes as well as outdoor quizzes like treasure hunts.
Games that use all the senses
Most children love to touch objects. Think about how hard it is to stop your child from touching
things in shops! But they also love to see, smell, taste and hear. Get them to discover and explore
letters and words by using the five senses; it’s not only fun but very effective.
Screen games
TV, computer and phone games can be an effective way to support your child’s reading and
some children who struggle with words on a page find words on a screen more exciting and
easier! Read instructions, rules, scores, listen and talk about TV programmes; it’s all about
balance and moderation!
Car journey games
Portable DVD players and computer game consoles are useful on long journeys, but car
journeys are also an ideal opportunity to chat with your child, make up stories, sing and tell jokes!
Practising reading skills in ‘real life’ helps to understand the role of reading in real life!
Practical activities
Practise reading in real life situations such as shopping, reading food labels, lists, instructions,
posters and special offers to find information. It’s a great idea to make good use of everyday
situations – you’ve got to get the jobs done so you may as well get the whole family involved!
Reading together
Make sure you keep a balance between encouraging your child with learning to read and having
fun reading together. Don’t give up on telling stories and reading of all kinds to your child to help
them to develop an understanding and love of reading. If you do that, you are more likely to keep
them reading later!
Why not visit our library and start reading with your child now or visit the Kids’ Barn for lots of
fun ideas, activities and downloads!
Older readers 7-11 year olds
Word games
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Your child will probably be starting to enjoy word puzzles, word searches and simple crosswords
in these junior years at school. They are fun to do together and help build vocabulary. Cheap
word puzzle books are a good buy before a holiday or long journey for hours of fun, or try making
your own.
Board games
Many board games need good general knowledge, logic and planning. These are also great for
developing language skills. There are lots of commercially available board games to buy but
sometimes the old ones are the best like Scrabble and Trivial Pursuit as well as some of the
newer ones too like the describing game, Articulate, or What’s in the Bag?
Screen games
Make sure you keep a balance between encouraging your child with learning to read and having
fun reading together. Don’t give up on telling stories and reading of all kinds to your child to help
them to develop an understanding and love of reading. If you do that, you are more likely to keep
them reading later! Older readers are probably going to be increasingly interested in on-screen
games so of course you’ll want to make the most of this interest. There are many excellent
interactive eBooks, games and activities available for home PCs as well as for mobile devices
and many develop speed of response, memory, powers of reason and logic as well as
comprehension and creativity.
Make a game of it
Children at this age are learning to become more independent and getting organised is an
important part of this stage so why not make a game of it! Suggest activities such as starting a
club, planning a party or a doorstep sale. These might be for real or make-believe but either way
the activity will help your child’s communication, language and organisational skills.
Reading and writing together
Don’t forget that reading and writing activities can be fun, enjoyable and game-like too. As soon
as children realise that reading and writing is part of everyday life then they will start to use and
enjoy these skills in all sorts of ways.
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Fun ideas by age:
Age 3-4
Age 4-5
Age 5-6
Age 6-7
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Age 7-9
Age 9-11
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