“Today a reader, tomorrow a leader.” One of the best habits that parents can inculcate in a child is that of reading. A child who enjoys reading will be a child who will have access to the sea of knowledge. One cannot stress enough about the advantages of reading books. The first one that comes to mind is the exposure to a wide variety of ideas and information. There are kids who enjoy reading naturally while there are others who think of it as a chore. If your child falls into the second category, don’t fret. Maybe he/she finds it tedious or has difficulty understanding or just hasn’t found the correct book yet.  Here we have listed a few thoughts on how to encourage your child to develop the habit and more importantly the love of reading:

Be a role model: Time and again the axiom that children learn by imitating more than by following order is proven to be true. If you spend your free time on mobile, internet, television it is unlikely that your child will read a book for recreation. Instead read a lot of books, magazines, discuss about a current piece of news or article with your child. Soon enough they would also want to explore the magical world of books.

Create a reading area: Make a cozy corner for your family where anyone can relax with a book. It could be as simple as a bean bag in a corner where there is ample light, a book or magazine stand and some of their favourite accessories.

Read daily with your child: Make a habit of reading a book everyday with your child. It could become a part of your daily ritual. For example, reading a book before going to bed will not only ingrain reading habit but also help the child relax. Not to mention the bonding that it helps to develop between the parent and child.

Use Interactive books: Children are fascinated by books which have pull outs or finger puppets attached or flaps. These things bring the stories to life and reading becomes exciting.

Use variety of genres: Try reading books on animals, space, encyclopedia and not just traditional fantasy stories. For older children, comic books can also stimulate their interest.

Re-read: their favourite books: Don’t fret if your child asks you to read the same book again and again. It’s a sign that your child is taking interest in reading. More so, this is how children learn to build their fluency and confidence. 

Rewards: You can set reading goals for your child and reward her with their favourite snack, an outing or anything that she likes. For example, if you give your little one her favourite dessert on completing half an hour of reading, it will motivate her to read further.

Gift Books: If you want to foster your child’s love of reading, then gift her books. You can ask Grandparents and relatives to bring books as gift instead of other items as this will make the child more excited about reading.

For more resources and activities to homeschool your child visit our Learning Lab www.proeves.com/learninglab.php