It is important to make sure your child is understanding what s/he is reading. Visualization is a good strategy to help with comprehension. When reading to or with your child, it is helpful to encourage him/her to think of the story by “forming pictures” in his/her mind. Let your child think of the story as a “movie.” Be sure to stop after a few sentences or a page with good descriptions. Tell your child what you imagine and then ask him/her to tell you his/her thoughts. Building mental pictures help with understanding of plot, authors’ ideas, making inferences, and much more. Have your child use all five senses to describe how your “picture” looks. Keep comparing your images with your child’s. It is fun to see the different images we all create and as your child grows as a reader, this skill of visualizing will play a vital role in being a successful reader.
Encourage your child to practice this skill by playing the visualization game below. Have fun!
