10 Tips To Encourage Reading Among The Little Ones
Books have proven throughout history that they are the fundamental pillar of human culture. For its part, reading is a cognitive process that consists of the interpretation of graphic signs through mental recreations that allow us to imagine a reality.
Embarking on the adventure of reading not only provides delight and pleasure but also creates the necessary conditions for the development of capacities in the person, whether child, youth or adult, who practices it.
Reading is a crucial element for the development of children. It stimulates the brain and imagination. Also, it will enrich them culturally, improve their language, develop their ability to concentrate and memory. Academic performance will increase as children spend more time reading.
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Benefits of reading in children and adolescents
- Improves reading comprehension
- Increase the richness of language
- Promotes the development of imagination
- Promotes empathy and emotional management
But sometimes finding a way to encourage this habit is not easy at all. For this reason, we have gathered 10 tips that will help you promote this valuable habit of reading in kids.
Tips to encourage reading habits in kids.
1. Know which are the most appropriate books
It is important to know the capabilities and skills reading relevant in every age and particularly in every child. Parents are a child’s first teacher so you should know which books are the most suitable for them. It is important to seek advice from qualified libraries, bookstores, or educators.
2. Try to read a little every day
From the first day that the baby is at home, you can start to promote the habit of reading. Find the best time of day to read a story and do it every day. Newborns respond to a soft voice by reading aloud, and in this way, you are likely to instill this routine in them. In addition, children are a sponge that retains and copy everything they see around them, if they see that you spend a few minutes reading every day, they will end up picking up that habit.
3. Create an ideal space to read
The reading space does not have to be large, nor does it have to be cluttered with bookshelves. It can be a small corner that has good lighting with an armchair or a chair that encourages the desire to read. If you create a comfortable and welcoming space, the child will possibly associate comfort with reading.
4. Let choose
As we have said before, it is important to ask bookstores and libraries for advice when choosing books. But without a doubt, it is important to listen to the child to know their preferences. If the child is holding a book or story that they have chosen, they will want to read it more.
5. Read with the child
It is important to read with the child. Children repeat phrases, gestures and even the behaviour of their parents, they are like a sponge and absorb everything they hear and see. So, it is important that the child sees you read and read with them. Also, once the story is finished, you can debate which part you liked the most and which part the least. So that the child will make an effort to find arguments and remember the book, which will also improve your child’s learning and ability to reason.
6. Don’t just read books
Many children hate reading or have a hard time reading for more than 5 minutes at a time. But before not reading anything, it is better to read anything, that is, encourage your son or daughter to read the packages around the house, the cereal box in the morning, brochures, store signs, and even magazines and comics. In this way, you will also discover their interests and practice a different reading.
7. Reading is not homework
Make sure your child doesn’t take reading as part of their homework. Reading is not “homework” or a school job. Be concerned about teaching them that reading is something fun to do during their free time. To achieve this, you will have to make your reading moment something special and fun. It helps a lot if you connect the books with something mysterious to be discovered.
8. Reading makes you free
Although it sounds cliché, reading is a window (if not a window) of knowledge. Presents reading with a clear learning purpose. Your child should know that if he/she reads, he/she will learn about a topic and hence, will know a lot. Therefore, before opening the book, it is good that you explain what things you will discover with that book. Encourage them to ask questions and show interest in things. And, if there is something that you do not know how to answer … rejoice! You can discover it together!
9. Read to little brothers and sisters
Treat it as a special big brother/sister message. They will surely take it with great enthusiasm if you ask them to read a little to their little siblings every night. It is a very productive exercise because the rest of your children will see reading as a privilege only suitable for older children. Over time, younger siblings will pick up a book “without your permission,” even if only out of rebellion or disagreement.
10. Use books as a recurring theme
Just like you ask them about their day at school or the movie you saw last night, they use reading as a recurring theme. Discuss the plot of the book together and create suspense with fictitious assumptions. It is a good exercise so that, in addition to the taste for reading, your child develops his/her imagination and begins to create their first argumentative speeches.
Bio- Radhika Bhushan is a founder of SKB little folks, a formidable entity within the space of education in Kanpur has based her life and work on the core belief that brilliance is achieved from a holistic and well-rounded education. She graduated from Lady Irwin College in Child Development and went on to later receive a degree in law from Kanpur University.
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