Pretending to Read = Learning to Read

Did you know that pretending to read is an important step in learning to read?

• It exercises the skill of recall when a child tells the order of, or remembers a story that's been read to them.
• It builds language, and critical thinking skills when they use pictures as a guide to guess what's happening, or why something is happening in a story.
• The "act" of reading is a great confidence builder in the process of learning to decipher words, because children must believe they can read, before they actually do read!

I've seen children as young as one, flipping pages in a book, while talking and babbling to themselves, to dolls, or to stuffed animals.  I've seen preschoolers and kindergartners who love to play "teacher," and will pretend to read to their classmates and siblings.  Babies can even benefit from this literacy play.

Aidan loves to hold and talk to his new little brother Devin.  I like to have Devin nearby when I read to Aidan, so he can benefit from the language that happens while reading.  So, during the times Aidan gets his chance to hold Devin, I've noticed a good opportunity to read to them both, and then I encourage Aidan to read to Devin.  Aidan prefers to use simple picture books or stories that he knows well because we've read them so many times.  Either way, as you can see, they both enjoy a good story!

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