Numerous studies since the late 90’s conclude that children are more likely to succeed in the classroom if parents read to them at home. Guthrie County Iowa State Extension and Outreach and Guthrie Center Elementary encourage parents to read to their children at home.

Guthrie Center Elementary Principal Diane Flanery wishes more parents would foster these reading habits in the home. “If your child’s classroom teacher asks them to read nightly, please be supportive of that. Provide them the time, read along with them. I just wish that parents would spend a little time showing the kids how important it is to practice reading and math skills at home, just like they might go and practice dance or they might go and practice volleyball.”

According to Guthrie County Extension, children should be learning at least 2,500 new words each year by age three. Extension suggests the following tips to help make the reading process more effective: read as long as your child is interested, talk about the pictures, run your finger along the words as you read them, use your voice to create interest in the characters, and relate the story to family or community. Ultimately, it is best to let the child have fun with the story.