Up Downs a fun and practical way to introduce reading and writing to children

How games and fun can help a child to read and write According to Michelle Neumann, author of a new book Up Downs, having fun is the most important thing when introducing reading, writing and early literacy skills to your child.

Neumann, a school teacher and parent of five young children, says: 'In the early years between 2 and 5, parents play an essential part in allowing their child to enter the world of literacy through everyday shared experiences such as reading stories, singing songs, making letters from play dough or simple drawing. The Up Downs' technique I have developed uses dance, rhyme, songs and play to help encourage a love of stories in children.'

On devising the Up Downs' approach and writing the book, Neumann says: 'My second child did not pick up reading easily and struggled in Year 1 and Year 2. Consequently I became concerned about the literacy development of my three younger children. In order to not leave my toddlers' literacy development to chance I developed Up Downs, a collection of fun stories, songs and interactive activities.

'These have been most successful with my three youngest children. My 3 and 5 year old children love writing their names, identifying alphabet letters around them and reading story books along with me. My 15 month old loves pointing at print and pictures in his books and scribbling with his crayons.'

The Up Downs book has grown out of Neumann's Up Downs program which has been in use with parents of children of play group and preschool age in Queensland. This exciting new early literacy resource encourages children to develop an awareness of print in their environment. It contains a range of interactive and memorable stories to read and share, rhyming songs to dance to, word games to play with, multi-sensory strategies for introducing letter sounds and drawing letter shapes, plus alphabet activities that engage children. Parents and carers can use these to help children confidently develop a love of reading and writing.

Neumann adds: 'Many parents tell me their greatest moment was being there when their child learnt to draw their name for the first time. Parents who use these simple play activities have seen their children become excited about exploring print in the world around them and in books.

'There are many simple ways that parents can share precious time with their children and respond to their natural interest in language - seeing letter shapes in the world around them and understanding that words have meaning. Helping your child develop an awareness of print and a love of reading and writing will help make the transition from home to school a positive experience. This is a priceless start in life for a child.'

Neumann continues: 'Recent research has found that these types of parent-child activities have a very positive effect on children's early literacy development. Up Downs is consistent with the National Inquiry into the Teaching of Literacy Report's (2005) recommendations for helping your child to read. It states: 'In the years before school, read with them, teach them rhymes, play word games, point out letter-sound relationships and practise the alphabet at home' (NITL, 2005 p.2).

Praise for Up Downs
'Up Downs is most useful for parents, other carers and professionals in early childhood and child care programs. The letter recognition ... can be easily understood and used in interactive and enjoyable ways with young children ... I recommend these materials for use by parents and those involved in early childhood care.'
Merv Hyde AM PhD, Professor of Special Education, Griffith University

'My son is two-and-a-half years old and loves Up Downs. After doing it only a couple of times he calls any text that he sees on road signs and in shops 'up downs'. At night when we read stories together if he sees an She always points to it and calls it a 'snaky snake up down' and O a 'roundy up down' and J the first letter of his name is a 'Jumping Jay'. My son actively looks for specific letters and asks me what they are. The Up Downs' approach is fun, helpful and easy to apply and appeals to my son because he picked it up very quickly. I would thoroughly recommend it to any parent wanting to introduce reading and writing to their children.'
Sally Mitsi, beauty therapist and mother

'Michelle Neumann's Up Downs represents an original approach to children's early literacy. This multi-sensory program provides parents with low-cost activities to engage children in print, focusing in a fun way on the abundance of environmental print that surrounds us.'
Dr Michelle Hood, School of Psychology, Griffith University

'Up Downs offers an excellent opportunity for parents to engage in their children's early literacy education in a positive and fun way.'
Michelle Hughes, children's librarian

'Michelle has come up with a practical and realistic strategy that can be part of every parent's toolbox

Stephanie Dunn-Balzer, BA, BTeach, MA Applied Linguistics and mother

About the author:
Michelle Neumann, a mother of five children under 10, is passionate about helping children develop a love of reading and writing. Michelle is a primary and secondary school teacher and holds degrees in science and education. She lives on the Gold Coast hinterland with her family and many animals.

About the illustrator:
Kaye Forster is a widely recognised children's illustrator with more than 30 books to her credit. She is Senior Art Director and Artist for Happy Caterpillar Productions and is also an art teacher. Kaye has studied children's art and literature extensively, and lives on Queensland's Gold Coast.

Up Downs: A fun and practical way to introduce reading and writing to children aged 2-5

Finch Publishing
Author: Michelle M Neumann
Illustrator: Kaye Forster
ISBN: 9781876451806
RRP: $29.95