It is important to develop and promote the culture of reading to sustain in the world of cut throat competition right from a very young age.
The habits developed at a young age are very strong and one cannot easily overcome them. Parents should put in efforts so that their children develop such good habits.
Reading a piece of plain text can be really monotonous and it becomes very difficult to keep children motivated so that they continue reading. Parents struggle to bring in new ideas every time to keep reading interesting.
Are you also struggling to make your child’s reading fun? You have found the right page!
Here are 10 ways by which you can turn your child’s “I don’t want to read” to “I want to read now!” very quick.
Let the child be the boss
Allow the little reader to choose his books. He will be interested if he has the control. Do not force your choices when selecting a book (although suggestions are always welcomed). You will get an idea of his choice and next time it’s easy when you have to present him a book.
This works as an intrinsic motivation for a child. He will be super enthusiastic in reading books that he chose. Also, you won’t have to compel him to finish it, he will do that faster than you think. He will get to discover his choices and his taste in books will improve gradually.
Storytelling, enactment and integrating arts
Make reading interesting with stories and their enactment. You can use hand puppets to make your story telling even more interesting! If the child reads something about a painter, get him some paint and a drawing book.
Let your child pick his favorite character in the story and play his role. Try voice modulations to make it fun.
The more he connects with a book, more will be his excitement to read further.
Let the Audio Books come!
Play audio books when you are on a road trip and your child does not want to have his head drown in books. In this way he can enjoy the scenery outside and his reading will also not be hampered.
This is a blessing for children who find reading frustrating. This talking book technology will give all the benefits of reading without your child actually reading books.
Creative reading corners
You can add colors and magic to an ordinary corner of your child’s room and turn it into his new obsession. You might have to work a little on creating a fancy reading corner but this will bring wonders!
This beautiful looking corner will motivate your child to spend time reading his favourite books. You can put posters of his favourite characters and some fairy lights.
Churn your creative mind and you will get dozens of ideas for creating a personalised fancy reading corner that will invite the reader in your child.
Read Aloud
You can make reading super interesting by adding dramatic voices to it. Read with an accent and try different voices for different characters to add an element of fun to regular stories.
This will help you in grabbing your child’s undivided attention. Besides giving pleasure, it lays down the foundation for various skills such as pronunciations and expressive reading.
Even when you look at the cover of the book, ask him to imagine what this book would be about. This will enhance their imaginative skills coupled with their curiosity to find what’s inside!
Relate stories to real-life experiences
Children love when you tell them your life experiences. They show more interest in something if they know it has actually happened to their parents or anybody else.
Connect real life to the world of books. Ask them to read about mountains and rivers before you plan to take them to such places for their summer vacations. This will build their imagination and their ability to make relations between what they read and the real world.
They will be more enthusiastic in taking up certain books when you tell them something interesting about the characters inside the book. By making things look real, you can instill in them the love for reading.
Encourage all forms of reading
Make your child’s reading portfolio diversified. He may not be in a mood to read books all the time. Offer him magazines, graphic novels and may be newspapers sometimes to bring some change.
Poems, oral tales and wordless books are a few options. Technology has also introduced various reading apps. All you have to do is bring them to your child’s notice.
Show him the wide range of options he has and he will never stop looking for more. He will find new sources from where he can read and this will make reading no less than a treasure hunt adventure for him.
Bookstore Adventure
Take your child to a bookstore or a library and let him surf through the options available for him to read. He will look for his choices and meanwhile he may discover new interests as well.
A bookstore or a library full of books will ignite his interest in reading and he will love exploring books to find the hidden treasures.
Give Rewards
Appreciation works really well in motivating children. Rewards do not necessarily mean gifts, you can simply take them out to celebrate their success or a warm hug can serve the purpose.
When your child finishes his book, discuss it with him and when he answers well, appreciate him. Cook his favourite dish and reward him with your love.
If you plan to introduce a new series, decide rewards that he will get on completion of each book. This will make reading tempting for him!
Read from whatever you see
Encourage your curious little reader to read signs and symbols wherever he says. He can read what’s written on hoarding on roads while you take him for a walk or on posters in the park.
There are so many resources if you look around which can be as simple as reading a traffic light. Just think out of the box and see how your child gets lighted up.
Now that you have a list of alternating choices to make your child’s reading fun, choose your favourite one!
Besides this list, if you have some other innovative ideas, share with us! Together let’s make reading fun for the next generation.
