Monkey Joe's Blog
The Building Blocks of Reading
Posted on Mar 14, 2017
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Why do we love National Reading Month? It teaches kids curiosity, builds the foundation of their education, and lets them embark on grand adventures (even when Monkey Joe’s is closed). Many of our little monkeys are too young to start reading, but they can still get in on the fun!
Teaching Reading Skills to Toddlers
Your child may not be ready to read, but you can still help them build the foundations. These are our favorite reading games for toddlers.
- The Alphabet Song. Sing the alphabet song and show them letters in real life. Funny voices and silly games are fun ways to help toddlers learn about letters. You can also play with block letters while singing The Alphabet Song to give your child a visual representation of the sounds. Block letters are quite literally the building blocks of reading!
- Spot the letter. Next time you bring your child to Monkey Joe’s, make a game out of spotting letters they’ve learned. Can they find the “M for Monkey”? If so, it’s time to act like one! Reward the lesson with an afternoon of playtime.
- Memory games. The alphabet isn’t the only tool kids need when they learn to read. Build a solid foundation by playing rhyming games, singing nursery rhymes, and going on treasure hunts with your toddlers.
- Talk about books. You probably already read your toddler a bedtime story. You should talk about it, too! Talking about books you read helps your child learn critical thinking skills. It’s also a great way to improve their memory!
Ready for a break? Visit Monkey Joe’s! Our facilities have Mini Monkey Zones with special playground equipment made for toddlers (just like these reading lessons). Let the adventure begin!
