Reading Connections
Here's What To Do
Invite your child to read with you and let them pick the book you’ll read together.
Before you begin, point out the title of the book and name the author and illustrator.
As you read, talk about parts of the story that remind you of something from your own life or another book you’ve read.
Explain that making connections means thinking about how the story is like something you've seen, done, or felt before. Encourage your child to share any parts of the story that remind them of their own life or experiences.
Put PEER Into Action
Pause:
- Sit in your reading space. Feel your bodies sink into the chair, pillows, or bed.
Engage:
- "Can you tell me about a time you felt the same way as the girl in the book?"
- "We read a book over the weekend that was also about pets. Can you help me remember what happened in that story?"
Encourage:
- If your child needs help connecting a book to their life, model making a connection to your own life first. "I know how that little boy feels! I felt sad when…."
- Help your child make connections to their life: "This reminds me of our walk yesterday. Does anything from this story remind you of our walk yesterday?"
Reflect:
- "What else did you remember when reading this book?"
Not quite ready?
Ask your child what they would do in various situations the book characters find themselves in.
Ready for more?
If the book has a moral or a lesson, ask your child how they might apply that lesson to their own life.
As your child masters this skill...
They will be able to connect more elements of a story to the real world.