It is a proven fact that reading benefits children of all ages. Hand-eye coordination is improved, vital language and social skills are developed, and lives are enriched all through reading a book.
But, how do you get children interested in reading? Let us discuss this topic for specific age groups.
Babies and Toddlers
Introducing books at a young age is a great way to start the reading trend. Books will teach colors, letters of the alphabet, counting, shapes, and more. Children as young as 1 or 2 years old will begin to recognize letters or numbers and point out their favorite colorful illustrations.
A great way to get them involved is to read to them from the first day they are born. Babies and toddlers are reliant on their parents or caretakers to teach them. They are like a little sponge absorbing the words, the colors, and the process of reading a book. So, make it a routine that your kids will enjoy. Snuggle up and read a book before naptime or after dinner to wind them down each night. The consistency will make reading something that they look forward to.
Kindergarten and Elementary School Children
As children enter school, books become an important resource for learning. Educational books are used to instruct certain subjects in the classroom and individual reading assignments are given to increase development in a number of skills.
To help encourage your children to read the assigned books or enjoy casual reading of their own chosen books, get involved in the process. Ask them how they feel about the book that the teacher assigned. Get a feel for the topics that they like to read about. Take them to the library or book store and help them pick out books at their reading level. One thing is for sure, children love getting new things and books are an educational way to spend your money on them. There are also plenty of resources for child reading online that can help your child connect with a favorite book.
Teens and Young Adults
By this time in a child’s life, they realize that books are a part of learning. They have experienced a variety of books through the many years at school. This is an important time to continue encouraging reading in order for it to become a part of their future.
Teens and young adults seem to have such busy schedules with school, sports, and spending time with their friends that leisure reading often gets over looked. A suggestion that we have to make reading fun and enjoyable is to get them involved in a book club. This will give teens a way to interact with each other and stay involved in reading. There are online book clubs, book clubs at community centers or libraries, or you can have them start a book club with their friends and class mates.
To learn more about reading for kids, check out this article we found titled “The Joy of Reading”: Article
