CHILDREN READ AS YOU READ: Make sure you have a library in your house among other furniture. This way, your child will discover reading in the natural flow of life. He/she will observe your relationship with the library, notice that books are an important material that is frequently needed. Let him/her form a bond with books by touching them and experiencing the smell of paper.
READ TO YOUR CHILD REGULARLY: Children love spending time with their parents. Reading to a child feels like a playtime to them. Doing reading together as a regular activity creates a synergy between the parent and the child. This projects the fact that family members have responsibilities towards each other in a fun way. The effort of a parent who reads to the child every evening can be compared to the effort of preparing dinner every day.
MAKE CONVERSATION BY QUOTING WHAT YOU HAVE READ: Support your conversation with children by making quotes from the books you have read together. A beloved hero from a story can be a great example to help the child overcome problems in life or to encourage the desired behavior.
ENCOURAGE YOUR CHILDREN TO WRITE DAILY: Writing is a skill, so it is developable as much as it an innate inclination. Gaining the habit of writing on a daily basis from a young age can act as a tool to unveil this ability. Children may have difficulties expressing their thoughts and feelings verbally. Make them understand that writing is a special field. Motivate them to write stories and poems. Listen to them carefully when they read what they have written to you and support them.
GO BOOK SHOPPING WITH YOUR CHILDREN: Cultivating a taste for reading in children can only be possible through their contact with books. Take them to expositions and book stores. Let them have the experience of touching them, reading the back cover, and choosing what to read on their own with their pocket money. It is important to let them start creating their own library at an early age.
SUBSCRIBE TO CHILDREN’S MAGAZINES: Periodically published sources are useful tools in order to flourish the reading habit of a child. Magazines are the best-known examples of them. A quality children’s magazine contributes to the reading culture of a child. It also appears exciting and intriguing as arrives once a month. It helps them think about what they read and to wait for the next publication. It also encourages writing.
LEAVE THE BOOKS WHERE CHILDREN CAN REACH: Getting raised in a house that contains books and bookshelves helps the child get to know about books, understand them, and include them in his/her life. That is why it is important to have books that would grab their attention at home in their reach at every age. For example, if there are books in the toy basket, the child would perceive books to be materials to spend time and have fun with, just like other toys.
CREATE READING TIMES FOR THE WHOLE FAMILY: We know that children tend to be directed by what they perceive and see as an example more than what they hear. Children who see their parents reading a book would naturally be more inclined to possess a reading habit. That is because they have witnessed people who imitate act that way. I have seen children mimicking their reading parents or grandparents. That is such a pleasant way to get acquainted with reading.
SHOW YOU ARE INTERESTED IN LISTENING TO WHAT THEY READ: One of the most desired things by children is to listen to and to be taken seriously by elders; getting attention from them. They especially love to share the things they are interested in and things that make them happy. Respond with attention when they come to you to share something from a book. This way, they will feel the importance that you give to them and to books.
READ WHAT CHILDREN READ AND TALK ABOUT IT: Parents’ effort is crucial in order to bring the child together with the correct reading material. Not every child’s book may contain a good sense of literature and aesthetics. Some may even contain harmful material. In order to help your kids, read those books yourself as well. Your children will be happy and more interested in the books when they are read by the whole family and discussed together. Moreover, books are a unique instrument to spend quality time with your children.
