How to Get Your Child Reading from a Young Age
Knowledge is power and the more you read to a child the more knowledge they absorb. Studies have shown that reading to children from a young age has many long term positive impacts. Once children can read, it can lead to more developed language skills, independence, and higher levels of creativity.
Some children love to read to the point you might have to tear the book away from them. Others have to be bribed and coerced to read with sweet treats. You might be asking yourself as a parent how to get your child to WANT and LOVE to read. The following steps are sure way to foster a love for reading at a young age:
Make time for reading
Set a specific time each day to read to your child. Eventually, they’ll start reading back to you. Once it becomes a routine, kids will want to settle down with you for a story from their favorite book.
Create a little nook or reading space
Reading to children in a cozy environment that they can associate with stories and books can help foster more comfortableness with reading and encourage kids to initiate story time in their space.
Reread picture books starting at a young age.
Kids will notice the pictures first then they’ll want to turn the pages. Eventually, they’ll realize it is the same story. The best books are ones with rhymes because these help kids recognize sounds and repetition. Plus, kids love repeating them!
Ask your child questions as you go through the story
Asking them questions is two fold. It gets the child to interact with the book and become more engrossed in the story, but it also helps with their comprehension skills. If they understand what is going on in the story, they are more likely to follow along and want to read other stories.
Take fun trips to the library
Head to the library and ask librarians about their events for kids. Associating the library as a fun space can influence how a child perceives books. Also,let them pick their own books and create a sense of adventure. Make it a game or family outing.
For more tips to get kids reading, visit the links below!