Reading With Your Child

Try dictionary learning games to boost your child’s vocabulary

The more words your child knows, the greater his reading comprehension. The more he understands what he reads, the better he’ll do in all academic subjects.

To make learning new words fun, play learning games with the dictionary. Depending on your child’s age, get a children’s dictionary at the library or use a regular one.

Before starting, make sure your child understands how a dictionary works. Show how the entry word is in bold letters. It’s followed by one or more definitions and perhaps a sentence that includes the word.

Here are three games to play:

1. Have your child select a word and not tell you what it is. He should read the word’s definition to you. Try several times to guess the word. If you’re wrong, your child will gleefully announce the right word.
2. Take turns reading definitions and guessing the word. This works better with older children.
3. Find a word in the dictionary your child doesn’t know. Say the word and read two different definitions for it. Ask him to guess which definition is correct. Then see if your child can find a word you don’t know.

Reprinted with permission from the February 2007 issue of Parents make the difference!® (Elementary School Edition) newsletter. Copyright © 2007 The Parent Institute®, a division of NIS, Inc. Source: Peggy Kaye, Games with Books: 28 of the Best Children’s Books and How To Use Them To Help Your Child Learn—From Preschool to Third Grade, ISBN: 0-374-52815-2 (Farrar, Straus and Giroux, 1-888-330-8477, www.fsgbooks.com).