Best Ways to Develop Good Reading Habits in your Child

15-03-2016 | Posted By: Admin | 3903 View(s)

Being a parent, you must take responsible steps towards making your child a successful human being. And, reading is amongst the most necessary fundamental skills that a kid needs to learn to be successful in life. Developing good reading habits is important to make a child’s life academically sound. It also shapes up his/ her daily lives in an unusual manner.

A recent survey done by the UN Education Agency revealed one of the most shocking conditions of children’s education. They have stated that almost 250 million pupils in primary schools are still unable to read or write in the proper way. To fix it, the thing which is needed most is inculcating reading habits in children. Though we try to encourage reading habits in different ways, following some specific scientific methods could offer optimum results. Here are the ten most convenient methods which have enough capability to inculcate and develop reading skills in children:

Do Kids Accept It?

Knowing how to go through a piece of article is vital for day-to-day survival. Developing an intense passion for reading widens the path to a new world for children. By reading, kids can procure all the knowledge, values and skills crucial for their success in every phase of life. Once they are trained in a proper manner, they start enjoying it. The acceptance of reading habit comes from the part of the enjoyment. The growth of confidence in them also makes them accept it. In later phases of life, they will realise the importance of this habit which you, as a parent, have instilled in them.

Your Duty as a Parent to foster Reading Habits in Children.

During the toddler or preschool years, parents should provide their children with good reading experiences. Nearly about 20-30 per cent of school-going kids face difficulties with reading correctly. Research shows that children who are most at risk of reading difficulties are the ones who were not given an opportunity to read at their home. You surely do not want the same for your kids too. So, start training them how to read and what to read. Otherwise, at such a young age, failing to read fluently can be embarrassing for them. That will also bring consequences like lack of self-esteem and low motivation.

Why Should This Reading Habit Be Instilled?

The pleasure that comes from reading habits is incomparable to anything else. The reasons why you should implant such a habit in your kids are many.

Increases Concentration Level: Good reading practice develops your kid’s concentration span, and it also allows them to pay attention in a better way. It gives them the patience to stick to projects which demand much time to be completed.

A lifelong love for books: Kids, who have been trained to read regularly from an early age, enjoy reading in later life as well. This serves children well throughout their academic years and beyond.

A constant thirst for Knowledge: When you develop reading habits in your children, they tend to ask more questions and find their answers. This makes them well aware of the world around. So, they get knowledge about history, culture, science, entertainment and what not.

Abundance in Vocabulary: This particular habit provides your kids with a plethora of vocabulary. In fact, it also helps them learn the correct pronunciation of each word.

The Ability of Expression: Children learn to express their emotions, feelings properly and in more sensible ways as a result of their reading habit.

Developing healthy habits of reading in kids is a process which requires much effort and time. Once parents are successful in doing so, this habit in children sets them up as role models for their kids.

How to Go About inculcating Good Reading Habits in your Child

Every parent wants their child to excel in everything and grow into a successful person. Inculcating good reading habits in a child is one of the best ways to increase their knowledge and also enhance their creativity. Reading is a habit which your child must imbibe as it not only gives them information but also grooms their personality. Parents can Develop Reading Habits in Children and make it more enjoyable for them by adopting different ways.

Mostly, children like to play outside and don’t want to stay at home and read about anything. It is a difficult task for parents to Develop Good Reading Habits in their children, but it is not impossible.

1. Read With Your Children

Learning of a child begins at home. Kids imitate their parents, and thus they don’t develop any habit in which their parents are not involved. Thus, parents should not force their child to read something on their own. They should sit with their kids and read with them. Initially, parents should read out to their children so that later on, the kids feel confident in picking up a book themselves. Once they start reading themselves, sit and enjoy reading with them. This practice will help the kids in increasing their vocabulary and understand the comprehension of words. So, you have to fix a specific time in your daily schedule and read with your kids during that time.

2. Make Reading Fun for the Kids

Reading itself is not a very fun task especially for children. Kids love to play and interact with others. Thus, it is your duty to make reading fun and exciting for your kids. For that, you must choose different kinds of books for your children. Do not read one particular kind of book to your kid every day. Buy interesting books which have drawings and illustrations in it; change the tone and pitch of your voice while reading out to them. This will make the reading more enjoyable to them, and next time they will surely come to you to read out a book for them.

3.Adopt Interactive Storytelling Method

Interactive and informal sessions that are fun and enjoyable can also help in developing good Reading Habits in your child. Interactive Storytelling method is whereby you use interesting props, Role Play and open-ended questions to make reading fun and a creative task. For example, you can pick your child’s favourite comic book and ask them to play the role of their favourite character with you. This will help them in developing an interest in reading books.

Apart from methodical reading, you should provide your child with the experience of interactive reading. As interactive reading is fun as well as enjoyable, this will not make your child bored while reading. You should allow your child to gather experience through open question sessions as well as through role-play and storytelling.
If you see that your child does not like to read books or does not have enough interest in studies, then this is the right time for you to make a significant change in your child’s reading habit. Don’t be worried about the lack of interest just try to follow the steps mentioned above correctly.

4. Interesting as well as illustrated Books:

Gathering interest in the mind of the children is the utmost thing which can help you to reach the goal. For this reason, you have to always provide books for children which have interesting and colourful pictures along with the illustration in clear language.

5. Give importance to the interest of your Children:

At the initial stage of developing Reading Habits in your child, you must buy books that they enjoy. So, if your child’s area of interest is in Science, don’t compel them to read fiction stories. Just remember that any reading is good.

6.Begin with the Books which are easy to understand and Interesting too:

If you start with those books which are hard for your child to understand, they will be stressed out while reading it and might start hating Books. Thus, you must start with a fun and simple books which are enjoyed by your child. Also, start with a small book that won’t take too long to read and keep the kid engaged.

Don’t give any books to your child that is either boring or hard to understand. This will decrease the interest of reading in your child. At first start with the books which are funny and written in the simplest language. Such books are perfect for children who do not attend school yet.

7. Buy new attractive Books for your Children to Improve Reading Skills:

It is known that every child is fond of several kinds of video which are available in the market. But playing these video games will surely not increase the habit of reading. So you have to give your child new attractive books on the topics which he/she likes every month. This will indirectly increase his/her habit of reading within a short period.

Make Library and Bookstore a picnic spot for your child and get them exposed to different varieties of books. Reading does not mean that your child must read only newspapers or other educational books. Kids can also develop Reading Habits by reading Comic Books. Thus, do not force your child to read-only educational books. Take them to a bookstore or a library and let them choose the book they want to read. It will stimulate their reading interest, and next time, they will force you to take them to a bookstore rather than a toy shop or an ice cream parlour.

8. Give Books as Presents

Next time your child does something which must be appreciated or rewarded, instead of giving them a toy, give them a book which interests them. Also, gift them their favourite books on special occasions. This way, they will feel appreciated and loved, and it will also serve your purpose of developing Reading Habits in them.

Reading Habit is a treasure for your child as it builds their vocabulary, boost their creativity and help them perform well in academics. You must encourage your child to read and assist them in Developing Good Reading Habits by following the tips mentioned above.

If your child is not able to read properly and is facing academic difficulties, Consult a Child Specialist immediately and he should be able to sort out your child’s problem.

9.Discuss the Book with your Child

Children love to have conversations with their parents. So, when you or they have finished reading a book, generate a conversation about the book. Ask them what they liked or disliked the book, their learning from the book, etc. If they love to draw, ask them to draw what they have read. When you have interactive conversations about their reading, it will undoubtedly stimulate their interest in reading books.

10. Keep all the Books Handy:

Children always have a curiosity about any new things. Instead of keeping books out of reach of your children, you should keep a different kind of books around your child. This will make your child curious about the content of the books which ultimately makes him/her motivated about the books.

11. Motivate your Child to read different kinds of reading Materials:

The area of reading of a child should not be confined to a few reading books. He/she should be given enough opportunity to read several kinds of reading materials such as newspapers, comic books, magazines, storybooks, etc. This will not only help him to gather more knowledge but also improves reading skills.

12. Visit the library or kid’s bookstore with your children:

To make your children motivated about books and improve their reading skills, you should make him/her exposed to the different kinds of kid’s books. For this reason, it is better to visit any library as well as bookstores. As the kid’s section of the bookstores contains several kinds of interesting books, this will surely grow interest about those books in the mind of your children within a short span of time.