Developing comprehension, part I

Being a good reader is much more than "cracking the code".  On the one hand there are children who can decode words in an advanced way, but who cannot make sense of the meaning of those words.  This is referred to as hyperlexia, and is distinct from precocious reading.  A precocious reader has advanced decoding skills as well as commensurate comprehension skills.

Developing good comprehension skills in small children requires exposure to a variety of experiences--not just books.  So, field trips are great thing for developing a strong reader--museums, nature walks, cultural events,  the county fair, the zoo, even trips to the mechanic or the grocery store can be opportunities for developing vocabulary and comprehension.  Also, reading a variety of material (not just books) can be helpful--recipes, the sports page (stats), charts and graphs, assembly instructions, instruction manuals, nutrition labels (yes, the cereal box is ok!).  

This is also where the nonfiction section of the library comes in handy.  We noticed that our DD can really dig into a novel set in the Middle Ages since we spent a while learning about castles when we acquired a toy castle, and about the Renaissance when we read the Mixed up Files of Basil E Frankwiler, whereas something set in the Islamic world is much harder for her to grasp.  So, if a book or toy starts to need history or science that your child has not yet encountered, instead of treating it as a hindrance, treat it as a great opportunity to raid the library's nonfiction section.