Once my little girl could sit up on her own, I decided that it was the perfect time to start reading picture books to her. I grew up loving books, so I was determined to make sure that my daughter enjoys reading too.
Me, introducing my baby to the world of Dr Seuss for the very first time.
I wondered if there were any reading programmes or workshops for kids that I could potentially register her for when she’s older, to make reading even more enjoyable. While doing some research on reading enrichment classes, I came across the MindChamps Reading & Writing Program.
Based on the reviews that I’ve read online, MindChamps was the top choice among parents who were looking to get their kids to brush up on their reading and writing skills.
Having heard many good things about them, I was delighted when I was given the opportunity to meet up with their team at MindChamps Katong V.
The love of reading starts at home
You might have noticed that as your child enters toddlerhood, she begins to develop a copycat behaviour.
I’ve seen this pattern in my 1-year-old recently, as she tries to imitate every single thing that mum and dad does: from copying her dad when he wipes the play mat with a cloth to following my action of running my finger across the page when reading books to her.
Kids learn about the world around them by imitating what others are doing.
Kids learn a great deal by imitating the actions and habits of those around them – particularly their parents. Thus, it is crucial to set a good example on habits and hobbies that you’d like your little ones to develop, such as a love for reading.
According to Quek Swee Kim, Centre Manager of MindChamps Reading & Writing Program at Katong V, kids will naturally associate books and reading with pleasure and fun when their parents show great interest in them.
“Parents can ignite their child’s love for reading by reading to them books that contain characters and themes that they love, such as dinosaurs and princesses,” she said.
Tip from the experts of MindChamps Reading & Writing Program: Choose a book that contains a character or theme that your child loves!
Based on research conducted by MindChamps, it has been found that when kids are positively engaged when they’re reading (or being read to), they are also learning new things along the way.
To keep reading time fun for their kids, Quek suggested that parents try incorporating some creative storytelling techniques to ignite their child’s imagination by bringing the story to life.
Incorporate some creative storytelling techniques when reading to your child.
Here, a teacher is acting out a story with the kids during the MindChamps Reading & Writing Program at Katong V.
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