Did you know you can impart a love for reading to your children, even if they aren’t old enough to read yet? In this post, we will discuss how to make reading a habit for children starting from a very young age. But before we get to our tips, let’s look at why cultivating a love for reading is so beneficial for children.
The importance of making reading an enjoyable habit
Reading is one of the most essential basic skills that children need to master in order to achieve success. Aside from the academic benefits of reading, it also takes their imaginations to whole new levels. It is also a tool that will help to expand their vocabulary.
Children who develop a love for reading tend to see improved attention spans as well. This will allow them to focus on a single task more effectively and for longer periods of time.
Tips for how to make reading a habit
Read books daily
From the moment your baby is born, you can start nurturing your young reader. As early as infancy, babies are able to respond to soothing voice rhythms and cuddles. When we read books to children daily, they are more likely to continue to develop a desire to read on their own.
Let your child see you reading
Kids tend to observe and imitate adults. So if parents show children that they enjoy reading, they are likely to do the same. You can successfully raise a reader by sharing your enthusiasm for books with your child.
Visit your local library
The library is an excellent source for reading material, old and new. Some libraries even host story-telling sessions and other types of literacy programs for children. It’s a great setting for instilling a love of reading because children see other kids doing the same thing.
Allow your child to choose a book
Make every library trip extra special for your child. Let children look around and explore the books. Invite your little one to pick out a book to bring home. Youngsters are most likely to read the books they pick out for themselves.
We may still need to guide children toward the books that are most suited to their reading level, as they are more likely to get bored if they bring home a book they can’t understand.
Set aside a special space for reading
The reading area in your home doesn’t have to be large or full of bookshelves. You can choose a small corner and place a couch or a chair in your child’s room.
Choose a comfortable spot with good lighting. Then place a couple of books to help your child associate reading with feeling comfortable and cozy.
Reread the books your child loves
Adults tend to get tired of repetitiveness. This, however, isn’t always the case for children. Rereading the same story over and over again doesn’t bother them at all. Youngsters love to detect what they missed the first time they read a book.
Rereading a book also lets children connect the words on a page with the sounds they hear. Sooner or later, your little one might even begin reading the book to you.
Let your child read to you as well
Set aside time for reading together at least once every day if possible. You may choose a specific time of day, such as right before dinner or after lunch. The goal is to create a read-aloud activity that becomes a regular and enjoyable habit to which they will look forward.
Educate yourself about what kids like to read
Even if you’re not a professional teacher, we as parents are our child’s first teacher. It’s crucial to become familiar with the different reading levels for our little ones. This will allow you to support your children’s reading skills most effectively.
Create opportunities to read
Reading doesn’t just have to happen when we curl up in a cozy corner to enjoy a good book. It is a basic and fundamental part of our daily lives.
Look for every opportunity you can to create small reading moments as you go about your everyday life. You might read outdoor signs aloud with your children, or have them read a list of ingredients in a recipe.
Vary the ways in which you read to your kids every day
You may mix it up by doing some action-based reading on one day, dramatic reading another, and singing and rhyme-reading on other days. You can even do different voices for each character in a story. The possibilities are endless.
At Early Childhood University, we know how to make reading a habit through a variety of activities. Call us today for more information.
