What Is Your Child Care Service Centre Doing To Reinforce Reading Skills?

When it comes to choosing a child care service centre, you want to make sure you’re choosing one that is going to foster your child’s growth. After all, they will be spending quite a bit of time there, so things like cleanliness and security are going to be high on your list of concerns. While most child care service centres do an excellent job of catering to your child’s physical needs, not all of them place a child’s intellectual development on the higher end of their list of priorities.

One of the easiest things a daycare can do to nurture your child’s curious brain is devoting time to reading. So, here are some things to ask the director if you’re searching for a child care service centre for your little one.

Do You Read Out Loud To The Children?

When children read out loud, they slow down and have more time to process what they’re readingwhich aids in developing reading and comprehension skills simultaneously. Most daycares have designated story time, so inquire if reading out loud is encouraged. During quieter times, a staff member might pair off with just one or two kids and read a story to them as this may be a much safer atmosphere for younger or shy kids to try sounding out smallsimple words and sentences.

Are You Affiliated with the Library?

All libraries have children’s corners and some even have summer promotions where local daycares can bring their children to check out books and learn more about the role a library plays in the community. This is an excellent way to nurture a child’s budding love of words and reading. Ask the director if any such field trips take place to the local library.

Do You Read To The Children?

A quality day care’s response to this question is an immediate yes! But simply reading a book to a group of kids can cause them to become bored if it is not done in a way that holds their attention and feeds into their curiosity to spark interest. Ask if you can sit in on story time with your child during a visit to observe how the staff read to the children. Do they ask questions as they read? Are they engaged? Are they animated and entertaining? These are very simple ways that encourage kids to want to be able to read on their own.

How Are Stations Around the Centre Labelled?

A combination of visual labels and words in areas like hand washing stations, art corners, entrances and exits, and a lunch table is a great way to start kids off on the right track as they start to recognize certain letters and words. If they don’t know the word right away, staff can help kids sound out the letters.

Are The Books Offered Age-Appropriate?

Some stories might be too complicated for little readers while older kids who are already well on their way into reading books might be bored by a selection that may be too juvenile for their reading level. Take a look at the bookshelves at the centre and look for a diverse collection appropriate for all reading levels.