How to improve your child's reading and writing at home:

1. Encourage them.

   It seems simple enough, but all children need a bit of encouragement when it comes to learning new skills. Before your child even starts school, you should go through the alphabet, teach them about sounds and teach them simple words too.
   
   When it comes to writing, most kids can write their own name with practice and though it takes time, it is worthwhile spending some time doing this when your kiddie is in pre-school. 

2. Make it fun.

   For young kids heading to school, it is normal that they’ll feel overwhelmed so try to make learning fun. When they get homework, keep them calm and make it as fun as possible.
   
   Some kids find it frustrating to learn new letters and get tired writing so make sure your child has a rest after school to give them some energy ahead of the homework. 
   

3. Read at home.

   For your child to want to learn how to read, they’ll need to be read to a lot. From the time your baby is learning to play they should be given a book to look at it. A love of books is vital for young kids as they can benefit not only from the calming effect of reading itself but also from learning more about words and expanding their vocabulary.
   
   Let your child read to you too with ‘easy to read’ books and help them with their pronunciation and understanding. Listening to your child will allow you to recognise where and how your child needs to improve on their reading skills.
   
   Ask questions about the stories you read together to ensure that your child understands the story instead of just reading the words alone.

4. Talk to each other.

   Talking to your child helps them learn to read and write. While you chat away to young kids, they are soaking it all up and learning more about language, which means it will make reading and writing easier in the long run.
   
   Tell stories at home and when your family is eating or sitting down together, instead of sitting silently, make sure to chat with one another. Through conversation, they will begin to understand the formation of sentences which will aid in their communication skills, both verbal and written.

5. Play games.

   Play word games and have fun together with these games. Get all the family involved and use every opportunity to learn when you are at the shops with your kids or seeing family.
   
   Instead of sitting on technology, get your child to write notes to friends and family or send letters! This will help them improve their writing skills. 

6. Stationery.

   Kiddies love stationery and if they have some cool pencils and rubbers, they’ll try their best to work hard. Pencil grips are a good idea for young kids to help them write for longer periods of time and encourage your child to ‘join the dots’ and colour for fun as it helps their coordination.