How to Get a Child Interested in Reading
Would you like to know how to get a child interested in reading?
After all, it’s a very enriching and healthy hobby for anyone at any age. Children can enjoy individual reading as an opportunity for learning and entertainment. By doing so, it offers the child the opportunity to meet and exchange with others.
Reading books can leave a mark on a child that lasts forever. It’s a habit that’s developed as of an early age when children are just learning to speak. That’s the best time for parents to begin to get their children interested in reading.
How to Get Children interested in Reading
You can start reading to your child starting in the womb. Listening to the pitch and intonation of your voice as you read will be a form of communication between child and mother. Plus, it’s the beginning of a fascinating habit.
Once your child is born, you can find books that are devoted to babies. Large drawings and vibrant colors of this type of books should be their first introduction to books. As of their first year of life, you can start reading children’s stories.
In order to awaken a child’s interest in reading, start by reading to them on a daily basis. This routine of reading before bed can be one of the most pleasant moments in the begging of anyone’s life.
However, this must be encouraged a bit. Let’s take a look at how.
Read this article, too: 5 Characteristics of Exceptionally Gifted Children
1. Read to your child out loud
Children are fascinated when they’re read to. It’s a great practice to encourage, not only when it comes to the love of reading, but also to enrich their language.
Surely, t here will be books that you will read several times. Even though when you the same book over again and it may seem to be boring, your child will certainly continue to enjoy it as if it were the first time.
2. Leave books around for them to see
There should always be books around within the reach of your child. This includes in their bedroom and next to their bed. In addition, take them with you when you’re on vacation or when traveling on the metro or subway.
There should always be one or more books that can be read, even for a few minutes at a time. You can also create a reading area at home.
3. Keep reading together even when they already know how to read
Even though your child learns how to read, they will still love it when you read to them. It’s one of those unforgettable moments that they can spend close to you. When they listen to you read, children learn that books contain magical moments that are worth spending together with family.
4. Take advantage of the books that have been adapted to films
There are many movies or television series that are inspired by books. After seeing the movie, use the book to discover with your child how to recreate the scenes or story, or the parts that are left out in the movie.
You can also do this exercise the other way around. After you read the book fist, you can then watch the movie.
5. Look for new books
Go to bookshops and libraries during weekly family outings. Second-hand bookshops can hide great treasures worth finding.
This is not just a way to find books for your children, but also books for you!
6. Interact with reading technology
Devices such as Kindles, Nooks and iPads can be your allies to promote interest in reading. This electronic format is very attractive for children or reluctant readers.
However, although interactive books are attractive, they might inhibit reading comprehension. Use these resources, but without excluding printed books.
7. It’s worth reading everything
A variety of titles and themes awakens interest. Even though children’s stories are often the best options, you can also read other books, including educational or informative ones.
If your child likes pirates, dinosaurs or planets, look for books related to these topics. Classic or comic books are also good choices for children.
Check out this article, too: How to Motivate Your Child to Study after Vacation
8. Participate in events to promote reading
Surely, there are libraries that organize days for readings stories in your city or town. Take your children to enjoy the readings that other people do.
In addition, attending book fairs are great opportunities to find a variety of books and prices. They also allow children to have encounters with authors, which is another way of introducing books.
Reading: A Family Activity
In order to have a child who likes to read, they will need their parents to enjoy reading. Children learn what they see, and getting interested in reading is not an exception.
Enjoy reading with your children. Today, you may read stories to them, while tomorrow they may exchange book and enjoy spending an afternoon talking about them. The value of the habit of reading within the family will be the greatest way to encourage your children to read.
All cited sources were thoroughly reviewed by our team to ensure their quality, reliability, currency, and validity. The bibliography of this article was considered reliable and of academic or scientific accuracy.
- Bravo, Luis, Malva Villalón, and Eugenia Orellana. “La conciencia fonológica y la lectura inicial en niños que ingresan a primer año básico.” Psykhe 11.1 (2011).
- Jiménez, Santiago Yubero, and Elisa Larrañaga Rubio. “El valor de la lectura en relación con el comportamiento lector. Un estudio sobre los hábitos lectores y el estilo de vida en niños.” Ocnos: Revista de estudios sobre lectura 6 (2010): 7-20.
- Reyes, Esperanza Guarneros, and Lizbeth Vega Pérez. “Habilidades lingüísticas orales y escritas para la lectura y escritura en niños preescolares.” Avances en psicología latinoamericana 32.1 (2013): 21-35.