Raising Readers

Children pickup fast. We all know that! Are there any secrets to getting the best use of this characteristic in children?

First, we need to ask ourselves how good a reader are we. Do we read worthwhile matter? Do we have around us books and newspapers or just home deco and ornaments? How many words a day do we actually absorb from our reading?

These are some of the questions that you might want to pause to answer before reading on any further.

In a world where electronic games and virtual playing fields have taken the lead, it is challenging to get your children to close their various DSs, PSPs or Wi's and open their books. How can you compete with visual, aural and interactive features that these various interactive games offer? How can you get a child to prefer a book?

Fortunately, books have evolved too. Books are no longer boring with only words and pictures. They now come in all sizes and shapes with lights, wheels, buttons and are interactive to a great extent. If your children turn away at the sight of a book, these interactive books are a great way to arouse their interest. Furthermore books are read in screens. Google books, amazon and nook are a few examples out there. So developing their interest only requires a little effort from us.

Children love to question and to be asked questions. Try to develop their interest by reading to them initially by describing the pictures and building your own story around the characters. Ask them simple questions about colors and shapes.

Some of the simple things I did.
A decorative and interesting book rack for the children
I even had a world map shower curtain
Magnetic alphabets on the fridge
A white board
I had foam letters in the bath tub
I had them make books for crafts
I make them tell their own stories as well as read to them

These are a few of the many things that we can do to get our children to develop love for reading. Force is the last tool we should use. If children do not show adequate interest simply move on to puzzles and games that they like to play. While some may be natural book worms others might need more encouragement and motivation. Take them to the store and let them pick out their books. You can buy used books from Amazon or even stop by the local good will store or yard sales. Make it an exciting experience and keep saying phrases like "I can't wait till I get home to read that". Before you know it your little one will start reading everything from road signs to cereal boxes and the journey will be enjoyable to you both!