Children of any age can appreciate works of fiction, even if they are not ready to recognise the written words, they may still be able to improve their language skills as they listen to books that are read to them.
How parents read to their toddlers can have a huge impact on how much they love reading and how readily they learn to read on their own one day. There are a number of ways that parents help foster children's love of reading. Here, simple steps you can take at bedtime tonight -
Read from day one, and read daily
From the day your newborn comes home from the hospital, you can start raising a reader. Young babies respond to the soothing rhythm of a voice reading aloud, as well as to being cuddled on a warm lap. If you make reading to your child part of your daily routine, he is likely to grow up looking forward to it.
Make reading enjoyable
There are a variety of books on the market that are tailored to different age ranges. Choose pop-up books or other creatively published texts and if you are reading to your children you can vary your tone of voice to maintain their interest.
Expose them to books from a variety of genres
Reading doesn't have to be limited to traditional stories. Children may also enjoy reading non-fiction books, including encyclopedias, as well as newspapers targeted at children. Comic books may also stimulate their interest in reading.
Let him see you reading
Don’t push the obligation to your child alone, whether you love books, magazines or blogs, let your child see you reading. Kids learn from what they observe. If he sees that you’re excited about reading, your child is likely to catch your enthusiasm, too.
Ask questions based on the illustrations
Don’t read to your child alone, make sure they’re following what you are reading to them. Ask simple questions such as do you see the dog, house, and so on. If they can point out such minor details that means they understand what you’re saying to them.
Lastly, Reread favourite books
You may get tired of reading the same story over and over again. But it can help your child become a reader. Kids like to spot things they may have missed the first time in the story or pictures of their favourite books. Rereading also gives them a chance to connect the words they see on the page with the words they hear. Eventually, your child may start reading the book to you!
