It’s every parent’s desire for their children to start reading from an early age. The number of literate children aged 5-24 has been increasing since 1985. A lot of headway has been made since then and to continue with this trend, we need to encourage children to read more.
In a world filled with gadgets and technology, this may seem hard. However, you can try these 5 ideas to start creating a reading experience for your children.
1. Have books around the house
Having books lying around the house can encourage reading as children’s curiosity can lead them to picking up a book and opening it to see what’s inside. Through the flipping of pages, the world is opened up to a child and their minds start developing.
Shopping for books for the older children to have around the house is also good practice to get them into reading. The Big W specials catalogue has a selection of books on special including some titles from author Billie.B.Brown which you can shop together to involve them in choosing books they would like to read.
2. Read to them from a young age
It’s never too early to start reading to your children. Most people are not aware that reading to your children when they are still babies is hugely beneficial and can mark the start of their reading journey. Their language is developing at around 4 months and adding reading to your daily routine will immensely develop their language skills. Although your baby may not understand what is being said, they will pick up on your reading rhythm which can help develop their listening skills later on.
3. Let your children see you read.
One way of getting your children to read is by reading yourself. If they see you keen on reading and you also explain to them why you love reading, they may also start to develop an interest in it.
Parents can be one of their children’s best teachers from a young age. Many children tend to gravitate towards what their parents do so reading is a good activity for them to learn from you. While you are shopping for your books, you can also shop with them too.
4. Take your children to the Library
Libraries offer an array of activities for the whole family to take part in. Some libraries offer toys that children can borrow. Entice your children with these and whilst you are there you can also browse the book sections with them. You can also find books that go with the toys they have borrowed.
For example, a child who loves Spiderman toys could also borrow a Spiderman comic or book to go with the toy. The key is to make the visit to the library fun and appealing to them. Soon enough they will get into the habit of picking up a book whenever they visit libraries.
5. Use different media for reading
To make reading a lot more interesting, you can use different methods of reading. Technology has brought with it e-reader, meaning you can take your books with you wherever you go with ease. Many children have tablets they use at home.
Help them download reading apps such as Kindle so they can have an electronic version of the books they love on their tablets. These are great for travelling on holiday when carrying too many books might be inconvenient or impossible. A good balance between traditional books and e-readers is a good way for them to see they can read wherever they are.
