How Much Should A Child Read Each Day?
Reading is a skill that is developed over time. While learning how to read and understand information quickly is important, it is more important to spend a consistent amount of time reading.
How Many Minutes Should My Child Read For?
Focusing on the amount of time reading is more important than focusing on the number of pages read. A child may focus on 10 pages in 20 minutes or 15 pages in 20 minutes, all depending on the difficulty of their reading material. When starting off, children should spend 15-20 minutes reading every day. This ensures that children are not feeling too frustrated with the difficulty of words, easing themselves into the book, and making sure they spend an adequate amount of time reading.
Remember that while reading 15-20 minutes daily is great, if your child finds themselves interested in their book, it is okay to let them read longer. But as mentioned, reading is a skill that is developed so reading for long amounts of time without getting used to it, can tire out children. Pacing themselves and building up their reading stamina will help them in the long run.
How To Get My Child To Focus?
Sometimes it is hard to focus, especially when reading alone. Here are some ways you can help!
- Parents can sit with their children and read with them aloud. This way, they can turn to you when they don’t recognize a word and need help with pronunciation.
- Book audios can be played also as they read. Hearing words said aloud helps them figure out the pronunciation of new words they will come across.
- Reading can be done both at home or while running errands. Children can read while you drive, or when you’re ironing clothes when you want some company. It’s a great way to do something together, while they practice their skills!
It is important to read every day and to include it into your routine. Setting a designated time, perhaps after dinner, can help children get used to this schedule. They start preparing themselves for the reading time and will have an easier transition from what they were doing before, to picking up their books and starting to read. This only gets easier with time, and slowly reluctant readers will enjoy the stories they read.
Happy reading!