Reading should be fun! What you can do to help turn your kids into little bookworms? Here is a list of ten ideas to help your children learn to love to read.
1. Make books a part of family life – Keep books around your home. Have books in every room of the house. Make books the norm, not the exception. That way you and your children are ready to get reading, even if it’s only for ten minutes.
2. Join your local library – Get your child a library card. They’ll be able to get their hands on hundreds of fantastic books, as well as the latest video games, blu-rays and DVDs and so much more. Have them meet their local children’s librarian so they have a familiar face that they know can help them. Teach them about the different types of books so they begin to develop their own favorites. Then let them choose what they want to read to help them develop their own interests.
3. Read about something they’re interested in – Help your child find the right book for them. It doesn’t matter if it’s fiction, poetry, comic books or non-fiction. Even if they have a mix of genres, let them run with it.
4. All reading is good – Don’t rule out non-fiction, comics, graphic novels, magazines or leaflets. Reading is reading and it’s all worthwhile. Even if they have picture books, allow them to describe the pictures to you or make up their own stories about the pictures.
5. Get comfortable! – Snuggle up together somewhere warm and cozy, whether it’s in bed, on a beanbag or on the sofa. Make sure your child has somewhere comfy to read on their own too. Help them create a “book nook” in their room.
6. Ask questions – To keep them interested in the story, ask your child questions as you read. Start with ‘Where did we get to last time?’, ‘Can you remember what’s happened so far?’ and ‘What do you think will happen next?’
7. Read whenever you get the chance – Have a book or magazine with you for any time your child has to wait, like at the doctor’s or the dentist.
8. Read favorites again and again – Encourage your child to re-read the books they love. Re-reading helps to build fluency and confidence.
9. Enjoy bedtime stories – Read with your kids at bedtime as often as you can. It’s a great way to end the day and to spend valuable time with them.
10. Make the most of rhyme and repetition – Books and poems with rhymes and repeated words or phrases are great for getting your kids to join in and remember the words.
