Reading is so good for kids — it helps them build a strong vocabulary and hone their literacy skills, and it has many other academic benefits. Kids use their imaginations when reading, learn more about the world, develop more empathy, and maybe even discover a lifelong love of literature.
So, you want to encourage your kids to read more at home, but you don’t want to discourage them by offering a book that’s too difficult or hold back their developing reading skills by giving them something that’s too easy. How can you decide whether a book is appropriate for your child?
Knowing your child’s reading level can help you choose books, but there’s a little more to it than that. Here’s how to choose books that will stretch your child’s reading skills and his or her imagination, as well as how to help your kid make the leap to the next reading level.
Know Your Child’s Reading Level
If you don’t know your child’s reading level, you can probably ask his or her teacher — that information should be a part of your child’s records. If you homeschool, though, or if you don’t have access to information from your child’s school, you can use the San Diego Quick Assessment to get an idea of your child’s reading level.
If you know your child’s reading level, the first place to look for books that will challenge and interest him or her would be among appropriately leveled books. Most children’s books will list the reading level they’re intended for somewhere on the cover or spine. You can use the Scholastic Book Wizard to search for children’s books by reading level. However, this number alone shouldn’t be the only guide you use when choosing books your child can engage with and learn from.
Consider Your Child’s Interests
Your child will naturally be more inclined to read books that he or she is interested in, and that’s alright — reading doesn’t always have to be a chore. If your child is already a reader, think about the kinds of books he or she likes best — is your son into fantasy stories, or your daughter into action adventures? Think about your kid’s non-fiction interests, too. If your little girl is an aspiring paleontologist, go ahead and buy her that dinosaur book. Don’t be afraid to look at anthologies, either — books of poetry, short stories, essays, or even jokes for children. Encouraging your child to read all kinds of material will help him or her develop well-rounded literacy skills and interests.
Of course, your kid will probably want to make some suggestions about what he or she reads next, especially as he or she gets more interested in reading. Your child may not have a favorite author yet, but it’s okay to let him or her look at books in the bookstore or library and choose one that looks interesting. Picture books and graphic novels are just as good as chapter books for building reading skills.
Put It to the Five-Finger Test
Once you and your child have chosen some books, you can use the five-finger test to determine if it’s too hard for your kid to tackle alone. This test is especially useful if your child is transitioning to a higher reading level, or even if you’re not sure what his or her reading level is. Just have your child hold up five fingers. Read a page of the book aloud, and ask your child to put down a finger for each word he or she hears but doesn’t understand. If all five fingers go down before you’ve finished reading, the book is too difficult for your child. If no fingers go down at all, it may be too easy.
Read Together
To help your child advance to the next reading level, read those too-difficult books together. Take turns reading aloud — you read one page and your child reads the next. Explain things your child doesn’t understand and help him or her figure out what new words mean using context clues, or show him or her how to look words up online.
When it comes to choosing books for your child, you want him or her to be challenged, but not so much that he or she gives up. Let your child take the lead when choosing what to read about, and make yourself available to help your child build new literacy skills.
