It’s frustrating when you ask your child about a story and all you get is a shrug or “I dunno.” These quick, easy pre-reading activities can help them connect with a book before they even open it, turning those mumbles into genuine enthusiasm.
Reading is not just about sounding out words or being able to reach the end of the page. It’s about understanding and connecting with the story.
As a teacher and parent, I’ve seen how small changes, like asking the right questions before reading, can transform blank stares into real engagement.
What you’ll learn from this page:
Why preparing your child before reading is just as important as reading itself.
5 reading comprehension activities that you can start using today.
Examples of simple questions and prompts that will inspire discussion.
How to easily fit these short activities into your day
Before we get into the activities, it helps to understand exactly what ‘pre-reading’ is and why it’s a game-changer for comprehension.
What Are Pre-Reading Activities and Why Are They Important?
Pre-reading might be something you already do without realising it.
It simply means doing something before you start reading that gets your child thinking about the story and what might happen next.
These short activities help your child focus, remember more, and enjoy reading time with you. They also prepare the mind for deeper understanding, especially helpful if your child is in the habit of answering “I dunno” when you ask them about their book.
Pre-reading strategies are important for three big reasons, they:
Spark curiosity
Activate memory
Create a reading mindset
Starting these habits early gives your child tools they’ll use for a lifetime of reading, and the benefits go far beyond books! Now, let’s break those three reasons down in a little more detail.
They spark curiosity
Curious children pay more attention. And increased attention leads to better understanding.
When your child is excited about what might happen next, they naturally tune in and stay engaged. That makes it easier for them to remember what they read.
Curious Reader! My daughter picks up a book and writes down words from it that she thinks are interesting. Now I know what we’re reading for bedtime tonight.
Curiosity is a powerful learning habit, and it starts with simple questions like “What do you think this book is about?” or “What might happen next?”
You’ll be surprised how much more your child notices once they’re hooked!
They activate memory
Kids remember more when they connect new ideas to things they already know.
Pre-reading activities give them a chance to do exactly that, by linking what they’re about to read with their own experiences, memories, or knowledge.
The more connections you can help them make, the easier it is to recall what they’ve read later on.
In the classroom, teachers call this activating prior knowledge, and it can be as important to learning as the reading itself. Take a look at this report for a deeper dive into the importance and effects of prior knowledge.
They create a reading mindset.
It is difficult for a young mind to transition between tasks, but pre-reading activities help get your child into ’Reading Mode’.
Pre-reading is like a mental warm up which helps them shift gears and get focused.
These little routines can turn reading from a chore into a conversation. And when kids feel ready and involved, they’re more confident and more comfortable picking up books on their own.
These quick warm-ups make a big difference. They boost focus, memory, and confidence, all before the first page is even read.
Now that you know why pre-reading matters, let’s look at how to do it. Here are five simple activities you can try this week.
Five 5-Minute Pre-Reading Activities That Work
You don’t have to stick to just one, rotating through them keeps things fresh and engaging (for children and parents!)
#1. Judge the Cover
This is one of the few times you’ll want to encourage your child to judge a book by its cover.
Publishers invest a lot in talented illustrators and designers to make children’s books appealing, and for good reason.
The cover is often filled with clues about the story like characters, locations, or key events.
Use this to your advantage!
Ask your child to spend a moment just looking at the cover. What do they notice? What catches their attention? Giving them time to explore independently builds confidence and sets the tone for active reading.
Your role is to guide the conversations. Here are some open-ended questions that work well (using my daughter’s Picture Atlas as an example):
The cover of this Picture Atlas is so packed that our pre-reading Scavenger Hunt usually goes on for longer than 5 minutes!
Questions:
What do you notice first on the cover? Why did that stand out to you?
How does the cover make you feel? Why?
Can you find the polar bear? Why is it in the snow?
What is the astronaut doing? Why do you think he’s doing that?
These questions spark curiosity and imagination. You might get some “I dunno” answers at first, that’s completely normal. But if you keep at it, your child will start opening up and even look forward to this part of the routine.
Once they’ve explored the cover, it’s time to dive a little deeper. What do they think will happen?
#2 Make Predictions
Asking your child to make predictions before reading gives them a reason to pay attention. Now, instead of just listening to a story, they’re trying to find answers to the questions they’re asked.
This simple shift builds purpose, and purpose builds focus.
It also strengthens comprehension. Making predictions requires curiosity, logic, and imagination. And because your child is actively thinking ahead, they’re more likely to remember what they read.
Start with simple questions like “What do you think will happen?” and follow up with “Why do you think that?”
As your child gets more comfortable, you can tailor your questions to their reading level or their interests. Here are some examples from Elmer and the Rainbow:
Join in the fun and make your own crazy predictions, your child will love doing this activity together.
Questions:
What is Elmer doing?
Who is he with? Why might he be with the bird?
Why do you think Elmer likes the rainbow? What is similar between Elmer and the rainbow?
Why do you think Elmer is looking for the rainbow?
What other animals might help him find it?
At this stage, there are no wrong answers. In fact, the wilder the guess, the better! Celebrate creative thinking, this isn’t a test, it’s a warm-up. Let your child know it’s safe to guess anything, and join in with your own fun predictions.
Making predictions primes your child’s brain. But the real magic happens when they link the story to their own world.
The Elmer website is an excellent place to find fun resources and activities to keep your child excited about the story engagement with the character.
#3 Link the story to real life
When kids can connect a story to their own lives, they’re much more likely to understand and remember it.
That’s because personal connections make the story feel real, and real stories are easier to recall.
Your role is to help your child find those connections. Look out for:
Familiar places (like a zoo, school, or playground)
Emotions (happy, sad, scared)
Everyday experiences (like birthdays, pets, or new siblings)
You don’t need to turn these into a deep conversation. Light, friendly chats are more than enough. Even a quick comment like “That’s like when you went to Grandma’s!” can help anchor the story to a memory.
Here are some questions I asked my daughter when reading a book about becoming a big sister:
Questions:
How does the little girl feel? What makes you feel that way?
What do you like doing with your little brother?
What presents did people buy when your brother was born?
What makes your little brother cry like that?
You can flip through the pages and use them as prompts. It’s still considered pre-reading because we’ve not started reading the book yet.
We got this book when our daughter was becoming a big sister. Four years later, she still enjoys it and finds new ways to relate to it as her brother grows.
Once your child gets the hang of it, try asking them to take charge. Ask them to think of questions for you! When kids take the lead, they become confident and engaged.
With personal connections in place, you can also help your child feel confident by tackling tricky vocabulary before it pops up.
#4 Pre-Teach ‘Tricky words’
‘Tricky words’ are what my daughter calls any word that’s hard to sound out or whose meaning she doesn’t know yet. Every child comes across these, especially as they begin reading more advanced books.
These words can interrupt the flow of reading, confuse your child, and even make them feel discouraged. But a little preparation on your part can go a long way.
Before reading, take a moment to scan the book. Pick out one of two words that might be unfamiliar or hard to decode.
Then try one of these simple, fun ways to introduce the word before starting the book:
Pre-reading activities to introduce new vocabulary:
Ask if they’ve heard the word before. Can they guess what it means?
Show a picture from the book that includes the word in context. Ask them to figure out what it means based on what they see.
Say the word and draw it. Invite your child to sketch what they think it means. (Tip: join in, it helps them feel less self-conscious.)
Flip the roles. Ask them to teach you the word. They’ll need a little guidance, but they often surprise you with what they already know.
During the story (and even after reading) come back to the tricky words.Revisit them naturally in conversation or reread the page they appear on. This helps the meanings stick and builds your child’s confidence for next time.
Earlier in the day I asked my daughter to draw the words ‘mountain’ and ‘volcano’ and what she likes to do there. Next, I wrote the words on the page and asked her to identify them in her drawing and tell me the differences between the two. Later, when we started reading a book about about Mars and those words came up, my daughter could already tell them apart Just as I’d hoped.
And finally, none of this works without you. So let’s look at the difference your presence and enthusiasm can make to your child’s reading experience.
#5 Share Your Excitement
If you take one thing from this blog, let it be this: your attitude toward reading is contagious.
One of the most powerful ways to nurture a love of reading in your child is to show that you enjoy it too. Kids pick up on your tone, facial expressions, and body language. If you look excited, they’ll feel excited. If you treat reading like a chore, they’ll do the same.
I get it. Some days, after work or household chaos, it’s tough to muster energy for a read-aloud. But it doesn’t need to be dramatic or over-the-top.
A simple smile, a warm tone, or saying “I’ve been looking forward to this story all day” is enough to spark curiosity.
You can also tell your child why you’re excited. Is it the colourful pictures? A funny character? A twist from last time?
Then ask them: “What are you most excited about in this book?”
This short exchange builds anticipation, which helps your child focus, stay engaged, and begin to associate reading with enjoyment, not effort.
No Time? Do it on the Go!
These pre-reading activities are designed to take just 5 minutes, but I understand how packed a parent’s day can be. Even five minutes can feel like a stretch.
Here’s the good news: these activities don’t have to happen right before reading. You can build excitement for a story anytime during the day.
I often bring up books at breakfast. I’ll ask my kids what they’re most excited to read before bed, or mention something from a story I know they love. Since I’m familiar with their books, I can sneak in a few questions that get them thinking and talking.
No time at breakfast for pre-reading activities? Try:
In the car on the school run
While prepping for dinner
During bath time or brushing teeth
The goal is to weave these conversations naturally into your day. This keeps it fun and casual. Less like a school quiz, and more like a shared curiosity.
These small moments can lead to big changes. Here’s what you will see once you start using these strategies.
What You’ll Notice. And Why It Matters
Just 5 minutes of pre-reading makes a huge difference.
Instead of reacting to a story after it’s read, your child will begin to think before they open the first page. You’ll start to hear more thoughtful, creative answers, evidence that they’re building deeper understanding.
Something I love about this: These activities can be used again and again, even with the same stories. That’s actually the point.
Each time your child makes a more accurate prediction or remembers a tricky word, they’re showing you they’ve retained the story. And then it’s your chance to stretch their thinking with more detailed, specific questions.
As a parent who uses all of these strategies at different points in the day, I can tell you from experience: they work. They make the reading smoother, richer, and more fun, for both of you!
And in the end, that’s what matters most. Not just building better readers, but creating more joyful reading habits together.
You’ve set the stage with strong pre-reading habits, now it’s time to make the reading itself just as powerful.
Now that you’ve laid the groundwork with strong pre-reading habits, let’s dive into the reading itself.
Bring reading to life with fun, engaging activities
[…] all of these new words flying in, the right reading strategies can help your child remember them. Pre-reading activities are a great way to introduce tricky vocabulary […]
[…] we jump into post-reading activities, it helps to set the stage. Here are some easy pre-reading activities to engage your child before the book even begins. […]
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