All about reading: rhyming, rhythm, books, games and more for parents.

Throughout my childhood, reading wove its way throughout my daily life. Mum always has a book in her hand and read to my sister and I at night. When Dad was home, he sat down and read Blinky Bill to me, whilst Mum was with Terry sharing the ‘fearsome’ – to me – Complete Adventures of Snugglepot and Cuddlepie.

Writing, too, played its part as I kept a diary, wrote letters, and attempted to write stories at home.

In these days of modern technology, reading and word play has never been more important. As a retired teacher I see the effects our modern technologies are having on our young and cry for them. No longer do children, or even our young adults, find it easy to construct sentences. Instead, I hear 3 and 4 word phrasings, often interspersed with many pauses.

Reading a book and writing by hand helps our brains to make connections to make neural connections. These past times exercise our brains in a way modern technologies don’t.

To help you, I have created these articles and hope they make the literacy adventure for you and your child an easier one to traverse.