Don't let your children's reading habits go on holiday

Make this summer truly memorable for both you and your child by introducing the joy of reading and developing an early adventure in learning. It's never too soon to instill a love of learning, and the Oxford Learning Little Readers program offers a unique funfilled approach to helping young children understand and develop new thinking and exploring skills that ultimately teaches them to read fluently. The summer sessions of Little Readers are an enriched, half-day early education program that is individually tailored to allow children to progress at their own pace, get ready for junior and senior kindergarten and ensure reading success leading into primary school and beyond. "From the moment a child is born, the learning process begins and as parents we intuitively know that a child's curiosity and interest in new challenges is boundless," says Dr. Nick Whitehead, Cofounder and President of Oxford Learning, which is Canada's learning expert in preparing children for lifelong success since 1984.

"By the time they are three years old, children are excited about their newfound skills to distinguish visual details and to understand and express themselves through language. Learning to read is a natural progression and in the Little Readers program children practise and develop these new skills through a balance of play, exploration and discovery in a warm, caring environment. " Studies in early childhood education have repeatedly shown that learning at a young age has a positive influence on a child's development. "Children aged three to six experience a dramatic rate of growth in the front part of the brain that governs organizational behaviors," says Whitehead. "Taking advantage of this critical period helps your child accumulate the basic skills necessary to carry them through a lifetime love of learning." The website, www.oxfordlearning.com will provide ideas and advice for parents on how to foster the love of reading and learning in their children this summer and beyond.