Two letters have dominated the lives of many young children – TV. Imagine how much better their lives would be with all 26! Basically what I’m saying is: Books can serve as a great source of entertainment for children.
These are wise words to live by and especially so since we live in a day and age where technology takes precedent over reading a book, a newspaper, or a magazine.
Reading however, is such a vital part of a child’s life. Most parents have found, though, that reading is best instilled as a hobby while children are young.
Make time for reading
Making time to read every day is a great way to get young children excited about and accustomed to reading.
As little as 10 to 15 minutes a day is a great start and since children learn by repetition, incorporating a daily schedule is the perfect way to keep them reading for a lifetime.
Get your children involved
Get them involved to show them how great and fun reading is!
Ask them questions about the story, encourage them to predict or guess what is going to happen next. Encourage them to act out parts of the story as you read aloud.
Read with expression
A great way to spice up any story is by using different voices to match different characters and situations.
Use facial expressions that match the characters feelings.
If the character is sad, make sad expressions. If the character is happy or excited, make happy or excited facial expressions. If the character is angry, make angry faces.
Set the proper example
Children tend to emulate what their parents do more then listen to what their parents say. Therefore, let your young children see you reading.
It doesn’t matter if it is a book, a magazine, a newspaper, or a print ad; ensure that your child observes you reading on a daily basis.
Let them choose
Involve your child in the reading process by allowing him/her to make their own book choices. Take them to your local library and help them pick out a variety of age appropriate books that will interest them and that they will enjoy.