The Steps in Creating Reading Habit for Children

Reading begins at home. As the first and most important link on the road to the reading habit parents can do some steps in building their children’s reading habit. This are some steps that parents can do to build reading habit to children:

¨      Introduces reading as a good activity in babyhood. It is good to uncalculated good habit like reading from early time. The best way for parents to help their children become good readers is to read to them even when they are very young. Children can also be introduced to books long after before they reach the school. A picture book with colorful images could capture children intention.

¨      Promotes reading to the children. Parents can read to their children at preschool and early primary as well. However, parents should decrease their reading to the children as the children learn to read and can read well. Parents can read a story to the children once or several times and then encourage them to read it by themselves. They will already be familiar with the story and so will find it easier to recognize the words.

¨      Encourage the children to make reading a part of their daily routine by having them keep a reading calendar. After a while, reading will be a natural habit that keeping records will not be necessary.

¨      Make bedtime stories a norm. Both parents can participate by reading a bedtime story every night, in this way children will develop a reading habit. Since bedtime reading is considered as the best time quality time spent with the children, bedtime reading helps to build strong bonding with them.

¨      Lead by example. Read the newspaper at breakfast, pick up a magazine in the relax time, bring a book in every occasions. If children see their parents and also the families around them reading often, they will understand that literature can be fun and important part in our life.

¨      Talk it up. Parents can do talking with the children about what they have read also lets them know that reading is an important part of life. It is suggested that parents could tell to the children why they liked a book, what can be learned from it, or how it helped them as soon they might start doing the same.

¨      Provide a varied supply of reading material at home. Children love to learn about animals, science, and other cultures and worlds as well as their own familiar surroundings. In order with that, storybooks are not the only thing that children can read. Newspaper, magazines, and informational material can also spark the interest of young reader. It will be much better if the family can provide a family bookshelf for library books in the house. Maybe a small budget is needed to fulfill this necessity, but having books in the home can show to the children that they are valued

¨      Try to set aside a special time each and every day that you and your child can enjoy a number of books together without interruption. Sharing parents’ childhood favorite books with the children will interest children in value the books and reading activity. The parents can also ask the members of the family members in- group reading activities. Making reading together as family tradition will bound the love of reading.