Bek, Although I don't have a 4yr old, I am an early childhood teacher, so have some experience Usually, children at around 4-5yrs, children start to show an interest in the written language and reading. They are able to listen to longer stoeis, and may even be able to recognise some letters or words. Generally at this age they are starting to play with language, saying silly things, and using rhyme and words that interest them. They often like silly stories, rhyming stories and books with made up words. They still enjoy books with bright, colourful pictures too, but they can be more detailed now. Many children enjoy the pictures just as much as the stories! Here's a few titles that I can think of that I have found popular with 4-ish yr olds!:
Imagine by Allison Lester
Josephine Wants to Dance by Jackie French
Each Peach Pear Plum by Janet and Allen Alhberg
The Terrible Underpants by Kaz Cooke
Belinda by Pamela Allen (actually any Pamela Allen book is great!)
Belinda! YES! My son loves it lol Pamela Allen is great fun. Mr McGee has lots of books that kids tend to love.
He loves fact books, animal or history mostly. We look at the pictures and I give him a bit of a run down on what it says, reading it all is a bit long winded for him.
Babette Cole books are also lots of fun, and Princess Smarty Pants is a good variation on the usual princess story.
How about Dr Zeuss?
The repetitiveness & rhyming is good for their speech as far as I know. Great for their memory...DD1 used to say the words to one fish, two fish for me at 18 months old!
& they absolutely love them!
Please be careful not to put too much pressure on her. Reading takes a long time to master, and kids can get very dissapointed or feel overwhelmed because they can't read the first week of school
Reading a variety of books each night is (imho) the best way to do it. At ds's school they take home 10 (yes 10!) books a week, so 2 every day. One is very easy with a few words, the other is a little more complex. The reasoning behind this is to encourage reading as a lifestyle thing, rather than something to be mastered iykwim?
I think I need to learn to write lol!!! My title didn't make much sense lol
Lilias - Thanks for the bit of information and book recs. I think we'll be doing some library trips very soon.
Lulu - I would love DD to be naturally drawn to reading and books. We've always had bedtime stories but I'd love her to just pick up a book and sit down with it all by herself and make reading apart of her lifestyle. Not sure how to do this? I don't read so I guess she hasn't any role models.
bjrose - I heard the Dr Zeuss were good too.
Thanks everyone for your recommendations, keep them coming
DH and I both read one book to each of the girls each night. She is 3.5 and loves to hear the same stories over and over!
Some of her favs are
Splat the Cat (it is about starting school and being nervous)
Alexanders outing/Who sank the boat - Pamela Allen (again)
Time for bed - Mem Fox (also has heaps of great titles)
Mannie and the long brave day - Martine Murray
FWIW, I think it is really easy to put them off reading. DH had to teach himself to read as both his parents can't so was been a tad OTT to begin with. It was really obvious that Miss 3.5 was not having a good time. So we are back to books about stuff she likes - fairies etc rather than his perception of educational value and about having fun with it. We also go to the library to choose new books each month.
She is still only little though, I don't know many kids her age that actually do that.
My youngest DD does but it's more about her temperament and that she likes to sit next to me with her own story whilst I have my head in mine
Keep reading at bedtime, that's terrific. I bet if you picked up a book and offered to read it to her at ANY time of the day she would love it. Actually it's the only way I can get my two into bed - they can be running around screaming their heads off after dinner but as soon as I call out "choose your stories" they are on the couch in a flash....
I'd just read to her every night Have books for her age group on hand & easily accessable.
My DD1, nearly 8, doesn't read every day (except school home readers most of the time) but she's only just starting to show an interest since she learned she can master some kids novels on her own. Now she loves it & is very proud of herself every time she reads one!
Lulu and Bjrose - Thanks for the insights. With DD starting school next year I just wanted to make sure I was providing her with the right tools to start off her formal education.
I never really bought any particular books for DD#1 before she started school...we just read to her and her sister every night.....golden books, dora books, whatever books they picked from the bookshelf...it was thomas the tank for about 2 months in a row from what i remember....
I remember DD#1 teacher at school last year said when reading a book with your child, or your child reads it to you (or trys...) it should be fun, it should be a happy time. Not boring and mundane.....
She'll get it bek....in a years time when she starts to learn simple words etc she will want to read to you at night...not the other way around....
i have no idea. ds likes stuff like the gruffalo, dr seuss, etc.
And at the moment, anything that involves dragons. which reminds me crap the library books are late, again.
DS1 has always loved books, stories, rhymes, anything really. But since turning 4 he's shown a huge preference for non-fiction. He now only wants books explaining different types of dinosaurs, planes, parts of the body, space, etc, etc. I think he is sucking up so much knowledge it's fantastic, but I kinda miss reading him stories! Stick to whatever she's interested in, she won't enjoy it if it bores her. If she likes fairies, you could even try one of the Rainbow Fairy titles - these are aimed around the 7yr old mark so are longer than 4 yr old titles, but you could read a chapter each night. I know my 5yr old neice loved listening to her older sister read them.
Also, a few months ago we gave in to his constant nagging and let him loose on the computer (we had an old one we didn't use any more so set it up on a desk in the corner of the family room for him.) Now we borrow cd-roms from the library and he mearly always chooses ones with learnig to read/phonics basis. I wasn't fussed about teaching it to him, as a teacher myself I know he would learn it fast enough once he gets to school, but he is doing it all himself and now can sound out quite a few words. But of course, nothing beats reading them a book! We read to both our boys at least 3-4 books each day, usually more.
My book suggestions would be ANY pamela allen, steve parish, or margaret wild book, the gruffalo series ( must have), the hungry caterpillar ( must have), The cat in the hat, Enid Blyton, my 4 yr old loved the wishing chair series, and Mr Men/ Little Miss books are very popular in our house!!
DD (4) enjoys wait for it......Bug and Spider and snake speciems, she loves the pictures it is a brief over view of them. hehe she can tell you the difference between a tiger snake and a taipan..what ever floats there boat and develops a love of reading is what is important even if all she wants to know is if they are venemous. No fairy books here
I have a book that I used to read and given to me as a little girl....Ten apples up on Top. He likes the Dr Seuss books and Pamela Allens Who sank the boat is a huge favourite.
Mem Fox is another favourite, Where is the green sheep is just one of the many.
He is into Trains, snakes, dinosaurs, and nature so we sometimes just read two pages of book that has facts about these things.
There are so many TV shows that kids like that you can now get books about. Does your DD like Angelina Ballerina?
I have also purchased the **** and Jane books I used to learn to read from as a grade prep and get him to read those to me.
Good luck...
oops, the BB page doesn't like the titel of the book...it's the nick name for Richard beginning with a D and ending a K
DS 4 loves anything about dinosours, lizards. he Loves Dr suess actually there isnt a book he doesnt like. we have read the magic wishing chair by reading a chapter or two a night.
he also has CD books which he LOVES he can "read" it at his leasure (well any book he can read when he wants) we usually put these on after we have read and sung to him and he still isnt ready for bed.
What books do you read your 4yo?
Reply With QuoteUsually, children at around 4-5yrs, children start to show an interest in the written language and reading. They are able to listen to longer stoeis, and may even be able to recognise some letters or words. Generally at this age they are starting to play with language, saying silly things, and using rhyme and words that interest them. They often like silly stories, rhyming stories and books with made up words. They still enjoy books with bright, colourful pictures too, but they can be more detailed now. Many children enjoy the pictures just as much as the stories! Here's a few titles that I can think of that I have found popular with 4-ish yr olds!:
and about having fun with it. We also go to the library to choose new books each month.
..) it should be fun, it should be a happy time. Not boring and mundane.....
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