Learning Support

The Importance of Reading and Writing at Home

With the school holidays coming up, it's important that students keep their reading and writing skills sharp over this long break. Even small, consistent habits can make a big difference. For example, if a child reads for just 10 minutes each night, that adds up to:

• 3,650 minutes a year
• Over 60 hours of reading
• More than 2½ days of continuous reading

This steady practice greatly boosts vocabulary, fluency, comprehension and confidence.

There are plenty of fun, simple ways families can keep literacy alive at home during the holidays:

• Turn on subtitles on TV or YouTube to strengthen sight-word recognition while watching favourite shows.
• Read and write the shopping list together, taking turns sounding out items or reading the list while shopping.
• Menu reading—ask your child to read options when choosing dinner or a takeaway.
• Recipe reading—have them read steps aloud while you cook.
• Daily or weekly journal—children can draw a picture and write a sentence about their day.
• Word-of-the-day jar—pick a new word each day and use it in conversation.
• Write letters, postcards, or drawings with captions and send to family and friends.  Receiving a physical letter back in the post is a lot of fun!
• Play rhyming games—take turns making rhyming words.
• Record themselves reading—they can listen back like an audiobook or send their recording to a family member or friend.

By weaving reading and writing into everyday activities, families help children stay engaged, confident, and ready for learning when school returns. Even ten minutes a day really does add up!