At a time when electronic game consoles are incredibly popular, and most kids spend their free time gazing at a computer screen, it can be exceptionally difficult to make the little ones understand the benefits of getting stuck into a good book. Telling them about how much more intelligent they’ll be in later life simply doesn’t work in most cases. At the end of the day, children like to do things they enjoy, and so it’s your job to ensure reading becomes entertaining for them. Don’t worry too much if this sounds like a difficult task though, there are five handy tips in this article guaranteed to give you a helping hand.
Personally, I didn’t read a book until the age of 23, and although I was a late starter, jumping on the literary bandwagon changed my life in numerous ways ( I would have never become a professional writer for a start). My only regret is that I didn’t start sooner, and that’s something you need to help your kids to avoid. So, if you feel as passionate as me about reading and you want some great advice that could make all the difference to their perspective, read on…
1 – Reading With Them
This is the best piece of advice I can possibly offer all the parents out there. Showing your kids how to read by thumbing through their favourite stories at bedtime and ensuring the words are expressed with excitement and enthusiasm can seriously affect the way a child feels about literature. You don’t need to recite anything long and tedious, just find some popular childrens books and select the titles you feel would be most appropriate.
2 – Alternatives To Books
If you have a child who flat out refuses to become interested in books or e books, it might be time to look at alternatives like magazines or comic books. Anything you can find that sparks their imagination and encourages them to take an interest in text will benefit them greatly in later life. Just ensure you double check age ranges to ensure everything you hand them is suitable.
3 – Making The Stories Interactive
There are some amazing interactive books out there these days, so perhaps you should take a look at some and see if any appeal. That said; you can make any title interactive for kids by simply asking questions about the story along the way and ensuring they understand everything associated with the main plot.
4 – Turn It Into A Game
A friend of mine has a three year old daughter who hates cleaning up her own mess after playing. Do you know how he gets her to tidy her things away? He turns it into a game. You can do the same thing with reading. Create a chart and put it in your child’s bedroom, then mark off books that have been read. Once they’ve been through all the titles on the list, you can reward them in some way.
5 – Let Your Kids Pick Which Books They Read
Although most of you will want your kids to read certain titles, you should try to let them make the selection as often as possible. This will make them feel more grown up and more like they’re in control of their own destiny, rather than being forced to read for educational purposes.
So there you have it guys, follow those tips, and you should find that getting your kids to read becomes a much easier task. On top of all this, make sure you become members of your local library, as this is the best way to ensure your child gets to choose from the widest selection of titles, and it also makes for a good day out every couple of weeks.
Catch you next time folks!