Children's Books and Reading Blog

May 7, Learn How to Spell

Mon, 07 May 2012 20:25:43 GMT

Find out more about the different stages your child will pass through as they learn how to spell.

Apr 30, Spelling Help For Your Child

Mon, 30 Apr 2012 15:46:12 GMT

What are the best ways for parents to provide spelling help to their children?

Apr 27, Help Your Preschooler Learn to Read

Fri, 27 Apr 2012 09:00:03 GMT

Making occasional print references as you read to your preschooler, such as pointing to letters and words on the page as you read them, can help your child become a better reader. This was the conclusion of a recent study by Ohio State University.

Mar 26, Teaching Word Families

Mon, 26 Mar 2012 13:36:01 GMT

Teaching word families to your child can form a useful part of helping your child learn to read. Check out these practical and fun ideas for introducing word families to your child.

Feb 14, Teaching Phonics

Tue, 14 Feb 2012 21:17:00 GMT

Phonics is one of the most popular approaches to teaching reading today. Find out more about the different methods for teaching phonics to your child.

Feb 10, Reading Rocket's Top 12 Comprehension Apps

Fri, 10 Feb 2012 10:45:23 GMT

Use your iPhone or iPad to help boost your child's reading comprehension. Reading Rockets have identified their favorite comprehension apps and they are worth a look. There are apps for encouraging reading for detail, practicing sequencing, differentiating between fact and opinion, practicing inferring, mind mapping and developing vocabulary using antonyms, synonyms, and homophones.

Feb 6, Starting with a Baby

Mon, 06 Feb 2012 13:47:28 GMT

I started teaching my baby to read when she was 1 year old. We used the look say method only she never said the words as she wasn't talking - I just kept

Feb 3, 2012 Children's Books Award Winners

Fri, 03 Feb 2012 16:52:30 GMT

The 2012 children's books award winners were announced recently by the American Library Association. Find out who won these prestigious awards this year.

Jan 27, Handbooks for Early Reading Programs

Fri, 27 Jan 2012 21:26:54 GMT

Handbooks describing early reading programs offer a simple, low cost, gimmick-free way of teaching your child to read. Find out which are the best instructional books to choose.

Jan 22, Multisensory Phonics Reading Program Reviews

Sun, 22 Jan 2012 19:50:20 GMT

A multisensory phonics reading program offers a structured but fun way for teaching your child to read. Find out more about the best programs available.

Jan 13, Online Reading Programs

Fri, 13 Jan 2012 13:23:36 GMT

Online reading programs offer fun and engaging computer activities to keep your child motivated while they learn to read. Find out more about the best programs available.

Jan 12, Free Reading Programs Online

Thu, 12 Jan 2012 21:31:54 GMT

Find out more about the best free reading programs available online for teaching your child to read.

Jan 12, Teach Your Child To Read with an Effective Reading Program

Thu, 12 Jan 2012 14:43:31 GMT

Would you like to teach your child to read but you don't know where to start? Find out more about effective reading programs which are available to help you.

Dec 5, How the Grinch Stole Christmas: Making a Kid's Comic

Mon, 05 Dec 2011 14:34:54 GMT

Do your children think Christmas is just about presents? Read them "How The Grinch Stole Christmas" and then make a kid's comic strip to help remind them of the real meaning of Christmas.

Nov 18, Wordless Picture Books

Fri, 18 Nov 2011 09:52:03 GMT

Wordless picture books can be a very enjoyable and beneficial addition to your child's bookshelf, whatever your child's age. Find out why and discover some great recommendations for wordless books.

Nov 15, Lists of Best Children's Books for 2011

Tue, 15 Nov 2011 12:39:14 GMT

Despite my denials it seems that the Christmas shopping season has started. Lists are appearing of the best children's books for 2011 - perfect for filling up those stockings. You can find links to this year's best children's books according to the New York Times and Publisher's Weekly by following the link below.

Oct 25, Letter Game

Tue, 25 Oct 2011 20:40:34 GMT

Take one camera and one clipboard and you have yourself a fun letter game to help younger children learn alphabet letters and older children practice their writing skills.

Oct 24, We Teach Holiday Learning eBook

Mon, 24 Oct 2011 08:46:31 GMT

The We Teach Holiday Learning eBook is now out and available as a free download. Inside you will find over 30 ideas for fun learning activities, all linked to different holidays throughout the year. It is full of literacy, math and science activities as well as craft & cooking ideas. It even includes one of the activities from this site - the Valentine's Poem Activity. Do go and check out this wonderful eBook!

Oct 18, Children's Poems

Tue, 18 Oct 2011 22:52:37 GMT

Discover more about the benefits of reading children's poems to your child, activities to increase your child's exposure to poems and suggestions for inspiring poetry books you don't want to miss.

Oct 11, Autumn Poems

Tue, 11 Oct 2011 20:26:14 GMT

Read autumn poems to your child to encourage visualisation. Then create an autumn play scene to help bring their mental pictures to life.

Oct 7, Authentic Text Early Reader Books

Fri, 07 Oct 2011 11:41:33 GMT

Help motivate and entertain your beginner reader with these highly recommended authentic text early reader books.

Sep 30, Easy Reader Books

Fri, 30 Sep 2011 21:02:52 GMT

Is your child learning to read using phonics? Help them practice with easy reader books written specifically to support phonics teaching. You can find some of the best phonics books available here.

Sep 26, Make Your Own Books

Mon, 26 Sep 2011 09:51:45 GMT

Make your own books and help turn your child's current obsession into a fun reading and writing activity.

Sep 20, Preschool Alphabet Games and Activities

Tue, 20 Sep 2011 13:56:40 GMT

Help your child master their letters with these fun preschool alphabet games and activities.

Sep 19, Free Word Games

Mon, 19 Sep 2011 13:48:11 GMT

Try these free word games and have some fun with your child while they become familiar with words and the sounds in words.

Sep 16, Teaching With Picture Books

Fri, 16 Sep 2011 11:25:41 GMT

Try these fun picture book activities with your child and discover how teaching with picture books is a great way to engage and stimulate your child.

Sep 13, Tell us about your favorite children's picture book

Tue, 13 Sep 2011 22:03:12 GMT

Coming up with my top five favorite children's picture books was not easy but here they are. One thing I can be sure of is that you will disagree with me! So why not add your all-time favorite picture book to the list ... one that you never get bored of and you think should be on every child's bookshelf. Follow the link to see my favorites and then tell us what you think makes your favorite book so fantastic.

Sep 12, Early Reading Help

Mon, 12 Sep 2011 13:00:18 GMT

Beginning readers need plenty of encouragement and support. Find practical tips and advice on how you can provide early reading help to your child.

Aug 23, The Giving Tree

Tue, 23 Aug 2011 08:33:43 GMT

The Giving Tree is one of the most popular children's picture books ever written. Check out these ideas for discussing some of the themes introduced by the book with your child.

Aug 4, Stellaluna

Thu, 04 Aug 2011 15:44:13 GMT

Stellaluna is a charming picture book about a baby fruit bat which also offers a host of learning opportunities for your child. Find out what activities my children and I have enjoyed doing.

Jul 27, Code Breaker Game

Wed, 27 Jul 2011 15:19:05 GMT

Most children love to crack a code and discover the secret message hidden within. Mine are no exception. Recently we had some fun with this Code Breaker Game which can be customised to your child's age and current obsessions.

Jul 21, Books about Bugs for Kids

Thu, 21 Jul 2011 23:18:01 GMT

Are your children interested in finding out more about insects? Check out these fun and informative books about bugs for kids.

Jul 14, Non-Fiction Books: Putting Words Into Their Mouths

Thu, 14 Jul 2011 08:45:57 GMT

My children and I are big fans of non-fiction books. Factual books are perfect for building background knowledge, which is so important in helping your child to become a competent reader. There are some fantastic non-fiction books available for children, jam-packed with interesting and engaging facts. The issue can sometimes be trying to assimilate all this great knowledge. Of course, these books are designed to be read again and again, or dipped in and out of. However, here is an activity which we enjoy playing when reading non-fiction books and which helps my children absorb more of what they are reading about.

Jul 9, The Whole Language and Phonics Debate Continues

Sat, 09 Jul 2011 14:33:06 GMT

The whole language and phonics debate continues, as illustrated by a couple of recent press articles warning of the dangers of relying exclusively on using phonics methods to teach your child to read.

Jun 28, Hide and Seek Reading Game

Tue, 28 Jun 2011 22:00:35 GMT

When the weather is sunny I feel we must make the most of it and usually encourage my boys to play outside. It is not always so easy to think of ways of incorporating literacy learning into outdoor play, however here is a simple game which I played recently with my youngest to help improve his early reading skills. It involves lots of running around the garden and searching for things so was a big hit with my energetic four year old.

Jun 22, The Perfect Children's Book Club for your Child

Wed, 22 Jun 2011 23:10:04 GMT

Encourage your child to read more by joining a Children's Book Club. Find out all you need to know to choose just the right type of book club for your child.

Jun 17, Updated Home Page

Fri, 17 Jun 2011 12:08:24 GMT

Come and check out the all-new home page at childrens-books-and-reading.com. It is now easier to find just that piece of advice or fun activity you need to help your child become a successful reader.

Jun 7, Kids' Newspaper Activity

Tue, 07 Jun 2011 21:28:14 GMT

Try this simple activity which provides a framework for sharing news articles from your regular daily paper with your child. While your child is having fun matching photos with headlines and captions, they will also be expanding their background knowledge and practicing valuable techniques for improving comprehension and fluency.

May 31, Popular Children's Books Chosen by Leading Children's Authors

Tue, 31 May 2011 22:46:34 GMT

Find out which popular children's books should be on every child's reading list, according to top children's authors.

May 25, Reading Strategies and Reading Comprehension

Wed, 25 May 2011 21:22:17 GMT

Help your child apply these reading strategies and they will start to extract real understanding from what they are reading.

May 24, Improve Reading Skills of Your Child

Tue, 24 May 2011 10:23:52 GMT

Find out the best ways to help your child improve reading skills, with practical advice and games to play to keep the learning fun.

May 10, Making Maps of Mr McGregor's Garden

Tue, 10 May 2011 12:30:13 GMT

While I am reading aloud to my children I am constantly thinking about how I can help them to engage more deeply with the story. One way is to encourage them to build a rich mental picture of the situation and events we are reading about. You can do this verbally by asking your children to describe what they imagine someone or some place looks like. Or you can ask your child to draw a picture illustrating what they have just read or listened to. In this activity I encouraged my children to visualise the setting of a story by drawing maps of Mr McGregor's garden, the scene of Beatrix Potter's classic story "The Tale of Peter Rabbit". Creating a map can help children to gain a clearer sense of the setting, engage more deeply with the plot and absorb more successfully the essential details of the story. Click on the link to read more.

May 2, Children's Books On CD

Mon, 02 May 2011 22:30:11 GMT

Help those long car journeys pass effortlessly by listening to these captivating children's books on CD.

Apr 13, Vocabulary Games

Wed, 13 Apr 2011 12:13:48 GMT

To become a proficient reader your child needs to have a strong vocabulary. Help expand your child's vocabulary with these fun vocabulary games.

Mar 31, Interactive Books -A Blessing or a Curse?

Thu, 31 Mar 2011 22:38:31 GMT

Recent comments by bestselling children's author Julia Donaldson have added to the debate on the advantages and disadvantages of digital interactive books.

Mar 24, Getting Curious with Curious George

Thu, 24 Mar 2011 23:00:58 GMT

One of the latest additions to our bookshelf is "The Complete Adventures of Curious George" by Margret and H.A Rey, which contains seven stories about the adventures of this mischievous, lovable monkey. My children adore it and it has been top of the request list for bedtime reading ever since the postman delivered it. For such a small and simply drawn monkey, George has a very expressive face which reflects a range of different emotions as his adventures unfold. It was these expert illustrations by H.A. Rey which made me think of using Curious George stories in this activity to show my children how to connect more closely with characters in books and specifically to explore the emotions a character is feeling.

Mar 17, Encouraging Your Child to Become a Good Reader

Thu, 17 Mar 2011 18:30:53 GMT

A recent study shows that after the age of six children start reading less and less. Parents can have a significant impact in reversing this trend and helping their children become good readers. Keep reading for some ideas you can introduce at home to help encourage your child to read more.

Mar 12, Alphabet Activities

Sat, 12 Mar 2011 20:37:27 GMT

I will be perfectly honest. I haven't spent as much time as I would have liked helping my younger son to master the alphabet. Although he does know some of the letters, he hasn't grasped them all yet. So I thought it was time we had some fun with various alphabet activities to help him practice. Keep reading to see what we are playing.

Mar 8, Connecting through play with "Where The Wild Things Are"

Tue, 08 Mar 2011 13:12:50 GMT

Good readers think actively as they read and make connections with what they are reading. One way to help your child discover these connections is to ask them to re-tell a story. To do this your child will have to digest the information in the story, reflect on it and then reproduce it in their own way. In so doing they will inevitably start to connect more with the characters and events taking place. For younger children it can be fun to re-tell the story while acting it out with props. In this activity my children re-told the story in the popular book "Where the Wild Things Are" with a bit of help from Gormiti figures, which made perfect Wild Things!

Mar 3, Google News comes to Children's Books and Reading

Thu, 03 Mar 2011 11:54:38 GMT

You can now find at childrens-books-and-reading.com the most relevant news about children's books and reading as gathered by Google from more than 4,500 news sources around the world. Click the link below to go to the page where the latest headlines are continually being updated. Make sure you check it out regularly!