- by School Admin
How to Make Reading a Habit: 6 Tips to Help You Raise a Reader
Academic success is just one of many benefits that reading brings to children’s lives. Reading is a skill that is vital in order to succeed in many facets of life. Reading expands children’s vocabulary, encourages analytical thinking, and boosts children’s attention span. This article will discuss the different ways for how to make reading a habit with your children. But first, let’s look at the benefits of reading.
Why is reading a healthy habit?
The main benefit of reading is that it helps boost children’s developing cognitive abilities and memory. When children make reading a part of their daily routine that goes beyond the bounds of the classroom, their brainpower will improve. Read to your children to help them improve in a variety of different areas and skills.
How to engage children in reading
Children can learn how to make a daily habit initially through encouragement from their parents. Teach kids about the joys of reading from a young age. Reading together with your children helps them discover the pleasure of this activity.
How to Develop Healthy Reading Habits in Kids
Look for opportunities to read
Spend quality time with your children by reading together. This will help your kids develop an interest in books. You might try watching a movie together and then discussing the story afterward. Or how about listening to audiobooks together during car rides? Or maybe you could try taking turns reading out loud at bedtime. All of these opportunities to read are ways that will encourage your child to make reading part of his or her daily routine.
Set aside time every day for your child to read. It can be 10-15 minutes or an hour, depending on what your child enjoys. Children who read often are more likely to develop an interest in books and enjoy time spent reading together with their parents.
Find out which genres of books your child enjoys. How can you incorporate them into their daily schedules?
Go to the library and let children take their pick
Children can discover a variety of books at the library. Best of all, library books are free! Most libraries also hold reading and storytelling sessions for kids. Your children can also be influenced positively as they look around and see that their peers are reading too.
Allow kids to pick out their own books. Let them look around and find what looks good. Children are more likely to read books they’re interested in. Guide them toward the section geared at their reading level and age group.
Set a good example for your children
Children tend to observe and emulate what adults do. So if you want your kids to mimic your positive reading habits, show them that you enjoy reading as well. Your child will be more likely to share your eagerness when they see you reading regularly.
Set aside a reading space for your child
A spot in your home that is dedicated to reading can be near a shelf with different books where your children will see them every day. An armchair in your child’s room or a cozy corner makes a perfect reading spot.
Do you have a large home? Place bookcases around your home so that your children will have easy access to their favorite books at all times.
Read your child’s favorite books again
Unlike some adults, children often love repeating their favorite songs, their favorite shows, and their favorite books! Kids also tend to catch the things they missed the first time they read a book. Re-reading the same books again allows children to connect the words they see and the words they hear. Eventually, your child will be the one reading you a story.
How proud you’ll be! How will you feel when your child reads his or her favorite book with a bit of help from you, or even independently? You can even give books as presents every time your child finishes one.
Make reading a daily habit
Start reading to your child as soon as he or she is born. Read stories aloud with a soothing voice. Babies are able to respond to relaxing rhythms. Make reading a part of your daily life, and soon, you’ll see your children imitating this wonderful pastime as they get older.
Snapdragon Preschool conducts different exciting activities that enable children to learn how to make reading a habit. Call us for more information!
