Fostering a love of reading
A
love of books can begin long before your child can read. All children love
being read to, and you can expose your baby to books from an early age by reading to him and by letting him experience
special books designed for babies, such as touch-and-feel, pop-up or bath
books.
Children
love reading books with you for many reasons and on many levels. They enjoy the
closeness of being on your lap or next to you, your attention,
the drama of the story, the rhythm of the words and the way in which the
pictures and story fire their imagination. Take time to read the story
properly and with gusto and imagination – don’t be shy about doing silly voices
or singing. If your child sometimes interrupts and asks questions about the
story, remember that the goal of the exercise isn’t to get through the book as
quickly as possible, but rather to get your child involved in and excited by
the process of reading. Similarly, if they lose interest or start to fidget,
don’t force it – reading shouldn’t be a chore.
When is the best time to read?
The
bedtime story is a time-honored tradition, but don’t get tied to reading only
at bedtime. Some children may not be at their most receptive when they are tired, so try reading at other times
of day too – for example in the morning when they’re full of beans. Story tapes
and CDs in the car are a great diversion for children – even if they can’t read
along, they can follow the pictures in their book while listening to the story.
What should we read?
Choose
age-appropriate books with imaginative pictures. Interactive books with buttons
that make sounds to accompany the story, or pop-up books, can also help engage
young children, and books that rhyme are always popular for their rhythm, which
makes them easy for children to remember. Books where your child needs to contribute something to the story – such as
counting, or shouting “Boo!” or repeating a refrain – are always popular.
Children
love listening to the same books again and again, and will often request the
same story at every reading session – so much so that you’ll feel they must
have memorized it fully! They likely have – this is all part and parcel of
developing an enthusiasm for reading. If you think your child is familiar with
a certain book, try to leave gaps in your sentences so they can fill in the
missing word. This will help them to feel part of the story and will also help
to improve their memory.
When will my child read by himself?
Most
children don’t start to read until they start at kindergarten.While they may be
interested in learning letters – how to write their name, for example – don’t
push them to start learning the alphabet too early or you’re likely to
put them off. Point out easy and interesting words around you to show that the
written word is a very important part of our daily lives and that being able to
read opens a lot of doors.
Most
children love fridge magnets, and brightly colored magnetic letters on the
fridge can help get your child used to the letter shapes, and they will love
rearranging them – you can start showing your child a few simple words this
way. Putting wooden letters with their name on the bedroom door can further
encourage them to recognize and eventually read the letters that make up their
name. But remember that the mechanics of reading are far less accessible to
your child at this stage than the wonderful stories in his books!
The information in this feature is intended for
educational purposes only. If you have any concerns about your health, the
health of your child or the health of someone you know, please consult with a
doctor or other healthcare professional.
Related Articles
Last Modified: 18/06/2007
Related Chat
You'll need to be logged in to post new Comments and Answers or to Chat.
Login or
Register