How to Inculcate Reading Habits in Kids

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There is no right or wrong way of bringing up kids. Every parent wants to give their child the best upbringing and we believe that the only way to do that is to introduce the habit of reading in the kid as soon as possible. Reading is one thing that will make the child more inquisitive, imaginative, smarter, knowledgeable and will also improve his/her vocabulary. Books for kids are the easiest way to start inculcating the habit of reading in children. Those books are colorful, they have illustrations and they give subtle messages of life in the most enjoyable way.

So, if you actually want your kid to be smarter and sharper, here is what you can do-

Start from an early age – Make the kid used to the idea of having books around. The kid should be comfortable while handling books and should get fascinated by looking at them. In the initial years, you could gift your kid books that have audio, later give them illustrative books, and slowly and carefully move on to more informative books. It will make the kid develop an interest in looking at books, holding them and trying to read whatever is in them.

Read along with the kid – If you read with the kid, the kid will feel important and will feel like reading too. Kids often like doing things with parents so try and read aloud to the kid while in bed or when free. The child will get into a habit of reading before sleeping if the parents read to him every night. Don’t forget to take them to the bookshop every now and then so that they could choose the book they wish to read.

Show the kid how it is done – It is no secret that the kid will always try and do what he/she sees the older people doing. If you are seen reading often, the kid is sure to pick it up. Reading while the child is sitting right beside you is an even better idea. You both could read your respective books and later discuss about them. It will make the kid feel like a grown up, a feeling which kids love.

Bargain with the kid – If the kid wants to play or watch television, then tell them they can do so but only if they read for sometime later. Keep a tab on the schedule of the kid and try to make reading a part of it. Reading here doesn’t mean reading school books, it means reading anything that seems interesting- it could be a book, an article, an encyclopedia, whatever.

Encourage them to make reading groups – When the kid starts to grow up, he/she might not want to stay at home the whole time, friends will become important. At this time you could advise the kid to become a part of reading groups or start a reading group with his/her friends. The kid will be happy because he/she will hang out with his/her friends and you will be happy because the kid will be doing something constructive. This will also help the kid in finding people who have the same interests as him/her.

Reading will help your child become smarter and wiser. Later in life, the kid will realize what a boon this habit has been for him/her. The kids who read are often the smartest in their class and never feel left out in a conversation, because they usually know a lot. Reading will make you a good parent and slowly turn the kid into a prodigy and what more would you, as a parent, want?

Image courtesy : https://www.denverpost.com/technology/ci_24220715/5-homework-apps-that-make-grade

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Nandini
Reader, writer, social worker, journalist, closet poet. Loves books, dogs and people . Travel and tattoo enthusiast. Writing came as an epiphany while doing Journalism and Mass Communication from Xavier Institute of Communications. Currently, turning her passion into her profession.

1 COMMENT

  1. Puberty is to body what reading is to mind! This describes the essence of reading in the life of any individual. Reading opens a platform for imagination and the creation of a whole new world. Be it fiction, politics, non-fiction or any literature, assure that they discover their taste early and carry on a habit of reading. Indirectly, you are lending with the lessons of patience and wisdom if you make them read.

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