Reading is important and as you may know fundamental. Children’s reading should be encouraged and rewarded. One essential way to get your kids interested in reading is to communicate your interest in reading books to them. Keep plenty of books around the house and let them know you like to read.
You can start to help your child like reading when you are pregnant by reading to them. Your little ones will like to hear the sound of your voice reading children’s books. After they are born they can have soft fabric baby books and alphabet blocks to play with. You can read to them and encourage them to learn letters when they are babies.
Read picture books and other books to your children. Read the books like you like them, not in a monotone. Show the pages you are reading to the children and point at the words and say them. That will help your children recognize and learn letters and words. Another way to help them learn to recognize and learn letters and words is to point at other words you see. When you see labels on objects or signs point at them and say the words. You can also label things yourselves to help your children become more familiar with the names of things. You can attach the labels to almost anything in your house.
Try to make reading seem fun and interesting, not like a chore. Play phonics, word and letter games to help your children develop their word skills. In addition to the books you buy your children buy magazines and comic books. Buy them books and magazines about subjects they’re interested in. Their interest will motivate them to learn to read and they’ll enjoy reading more. One easy way to encourage your children to read is to have plenty of books and other reading material available that they can pick up and read in the comfort of home. Be sure to have plenty of book shelves with books on them in your home.
Create a cozy reading nook with a cushioned bench, lounge chair, pillows, dolls or stuffed toys and ample lighting. Reading posters showing books or characters will help to set the stage for their reading experiences. Provide your children many of their own book labels that designate them as owners of their books. Ex libris or book plates with the name of the book owner inscribed on them will help to encourage a love of reading. Invest in a supply of children’s book plates and help them print their names on them. Buy your kids reading accessories like book covers, book bags, bookmarks and book lights. When you make crafts help them create bookmarks with their names on them.
Talk to your children about books they read. Be genuinely interested in their reading. Help them to get other books about subjects they are reading about or other books in a series. Extend the reading experience with toys, games, art or craft projects, field trips, movies and other activities that will help to enrich their learning.
Keep books in every play area of the house. Books can be accessible on the floor or on shelves between novelty book ends and other book ends. Your children will be able to choose books and not just toys for leisure time activities. Give your children books and book gift baskets as gifts.