How do I encourage good reading habits in my child?

'Reading' is the process of looking at a series of written symbols and getting meaning from them. When we read, we use our eyes to receive those written symbols (letters, punctuation marks and spaces) and we use our brain to convert them into words, sentences and paragraphs that communicate something to us.

Reading can be silent (in our head) or aloud (so that other people can hear).

Reading is a receptive skill - through it we receive information. But the complex process of reading also requires the skill of speaking, so that we can pronounce the words that we read. In this sense, reading is also a productive skill in that we are both receiving information and transmitting it (even if only to ourselves).

Importance Of Reading With Your Child

By reading to your child, you provide them with a deep understanding about their world and fill their brains with background knowledge. They then use this acquired latent knowledge to make sense of what they see, hear, and read.

Reading early helps your child build independence and self confidence. It opens up a whole new world of understanding and comprehension of their reality around. It also helps children by expanding their vocabulary, deepens their empathy, increases concentration and boosts overall imagination and creativity.

The importance of reading for children cannot be underestimated. Reading for pleasure can benefit a child’s education, social and cognitive development, their well-being, and mental health.

Reading aloud can be an enjoyable activity that both parents and children alike. Additionally, it is an activity that teachers can find fulfilling and that they should encourage regularly, both at school and at home.

Creative Ways Parents Can Read With Their Child

When you read with your child, you are not only strengthening your bond with them but you are also providing them the 1:1 support that they don't receive at school. To have an effective and successful reading session with your child consider the following:

1. Start Young

Even during infancy, children can look at the pictures in a book and listen to your voice. When you read aloud to your infant by pointing towards the picture you are not only teaching them the object name and the visual depiction, but also to follow your instructions and retain the heard information.

2. Routine

Try and make it a daily habit to read to your child or with your child. Maintaining consistency will not only keep them adequately occupied, but also ensure that they will continue to read later in his life, which is equally important.

3. Create a Reading Corner

A reading corner is a comfortable and safe space designed and equipped specifically for reading. Supply the corner with variety of books and cute, inviting furniture.

4. Encourage reading outside of learning environments

Help your child read road signs, posters, menu cards, etc. Help them learn that: Reading can take place anywhere!

5. Role Model

Read in front of your child, model the behaviour you expect to see in your child! Observing you reading, the child will come to understand and learn the importance of it.

6. Involve your child

It is quite a possibility that your child might not be interested in reading (not everyone loves reading). In such situations, you can always encourage them to get comfortable with the process of reading before actually getting to read the books. Let them pile the books, let them play around, sort the books in different sizes and finally when they get comfortable with the idea of reading.

Once they begin, let them guide the session.

Let them turn the pages and point to the pictures. Let them skip a few pages. The key here is to let the child enjoy the process while they are learning.

7. Continue the discussion

After you have completed reading, ask different age appropriate 'carry forward' questions to your child. For instance,"Who was your favourite character?", "How do you think the king saved his countrymen?", "Did you enjoy the story?" . Doing this will inculcate creativity and imagination in your child whilst working on his language skills.

8. Visit your local library

Make reading fun by taking your child to the local library and let them pick a book or two which catches their attention. When they have chosen the book, they certainly will be wanting to explore the book too, which makes our task a little easier.

9. Digitize their reading experience

For a change, you can read a book on your tablet, watch an animated video of the story you just read.

10. Combine other arts with reading

For example, get an activity book that also has a story. They can read along with other fun things such as colouring, join the dots, fill in the blanks, matching shapes, etc.

It is also essential to coordinate with your child's teachers to inculcate the same kind of reading habits in your child. It would also be good to often get reports on how the child's reading is developing. A seamless transition between school and the household in terms of reading habits would be very beneficial to your child.

Reading can be a really joyful and invigorating experience, that will stay with your child as a life long habits.

Books give you a window to the world, without having to even move. You are able to take a flight of fancy, 'travel' so to speak and learn about different types of people -- various ethnicities and religions and cultures!

Such a broad experience will surely allow your child's development to be wholesome!