“Read to your bunny often, and… your bunny will read to you.”
That quote is from the lovely poem Read To Your Bunny by Rosemary Wells, and we couldn’t agree with her more. Parents and other adults have an enormous influence on whether or not children become avid readers, and it is up to us to foster a love of reading in today’s children.
So with that in mind, here are some of our favourite tips to get kids to read for fun and enjoyment.
KIDS LEARN BY EXAMPLE. And who do they look up to the most? You! Let your children see you reading. Books, newspapers, magazines… it doesn’t matter, just as long as they perceive that you value the act of reading and that you enjoy it.
READ WITH YOUR CHILD EVERY SINGLE DAY. Whether they’re babies, toddlers or in school, it is always the right time to read with your child. When they are very young, it is critical that they see reading as a fun activity, and snuggling each night for storytime is a fantastic foundation to foster a love of reading. (Before story time, you may want to have very young children sing, move or dance to get out the “fidgets” prior to settling down.) As they get older, let them start to read aloud to you so you can encourage and praise their reading… but continue to read to them as well. A nightly chapter from books like The Hobbit or The Wonderful Wizard of Oz can be a lovely, quiet family activity before bed – everyone will snuggle down to listen! The rule of thumb is to always read aloud above a child’s reading level so that they get exposure to new vocabulary and ideas.
IT DOESN’T ALWAYS NEED TO BE SHAKESPEARE. Don’t get hung up on whether or not the book a child is reading is a “good” book. As long as the content is age appropriate, then the important thing is that a child is reading and learning those essential comprehension skills. Comics, backs of cereal boxes, teen magazines… it’s all good!
BUILD A LIBRARY OVER TIME… AND USE THE LOCAL LIBRARY TOO. Give good books as presents and treats for special occasions, and children will fill their library with a selection of meaningful books over time. In the meantime, make sure both you and your children have library cards! Not only do local libraries offer wonderful reading programmes, but to save money, nothing beats borrowing books from the local library. The huge selection will expose your children to a variety of genres; encourage them to explore different books and topics. After all, when you borrow a book from a library, it doesn’t matter if it turns out you don’t like it… you just return it and pick another one! As your children learn more about what they do and don’t like, you will be able to find just the right book as a present for that special occasion and the gift will be appreciated and meaningful.
HOW TO CHOOSE BOOKS FOR KIDS TOO YOUNG TO PICK THEIR OWN: For infants, your cadence and tone during read aloud sessions are far more important than the book selection itself. Even reading the newspaper aloud to them can be as soothing as a lullaby.
As the child ages, start choosing more colourful, tactile books – think The Very Hungry Caterpillar or Pat the Bunny – so that they can participate with their eyes and their fingers while you read.
By about 6 months, start pointing out and emphasizing different objects in the pictures as you read aloud. Richard Scarry word books are great fun at this age.
Toddlers love to mimic and anticipate what is coming next. Incorporate sound effects and exaggerate words, and look for books with repetition. Sandra Boynton, Lynley Dodd… there are countless authors who have proven that they know what appeals to this age group and can hold their attention.
And finally, CELEBRATE READING! If you have the chance, take your family to The Word on the Street festival. There is always plenty to see and do at Canada’s largest book and magazine festival, and best of all, The Word On The Street and all of its events are FREE! Every year, The Word On The Street aims to have lots of family-fun activities at the festival… there is really something for everyone at this wonderful event. This year, the festival takes place across Canada on Sunday, September 23, 2012, in Vancouver, Lethbridge, Saskatoon, Kitchener, Toronto and Halifax. Join the fun and make it an annual family celebration!
As published by By Heart Books - children's books, children's gifts and loot bags