Regardless of age, the benefits of reading are vast. A reader might have a bigger imagination, have a sharper mind and live longer. For a child, reading helps to build vocabulary, teaches empathy and improves listening skills. How does one instill a love of reading in a child though? Here are 10 tips for reading with a child and encouraging them to read.
Read together. Reading is a bonding experience between an adult and a child and an activity the whole family can participate in together. A child is never too old to be read to. Book suggestions to read together: The One and Only Ivan, Heartwood Hotel, Because of Winn Dixie and Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone.
Make reading fun. Get excited about what you are reading – use voices or expressions and make noises to keep your child engaged. Fun book suggestions to read to your child: The Book with No Pictures, Go and Get Rex, I Don’t Want to Be a Frog and We Found a Hat.
Go to the library. Get your child a library card and participate in library programming. Here are some book suggestions about reading and libraries: Lola at the Library, Roar for Reading, Library Lion and The Not So Quiet Library.
Model good reading habits. Let your child see you reading. Book suggestions for moms: Lula Dean’s Little Free Library of Banned Books, Angry Housewives Eating Bon Bons, Sandwich and Normal People.
Start early. Just as a child is never old to be read to, they are never too young either. Reading to a baby helps build early literacy skills but also can be comforting to hear a parent or caregiver’s voice. Book suggestions to read with a baby: Babies and Bunnies Book, Leo on a Hike, Hoot Hoot Owl and Bear Has a Belly.
Let your child choose what they are going to read. Show them books about subjects that interest them like firetrucks or football. Try fiction and nonfiction or different formats of a book like audio or graphic novels. Book suggestions for children who love firetrucks: Firefighter Frank, They Hold the Line, I’m Brave and Firefighter Duckies.
Create a reading routine. Find time to read with your child whether it is at the breakfast table, after school or before bedtime. Book suggestions to read at bedtime: Goodnight, Goodnight Construction Site; Goodnight Moon; Llama, Llama Red Pajama; and Goodnight Already.
Keep books everywhere. Build a home library, leave books at the breakfast table and always have books on hand in the car or bag for waiting. Books suggestions to read in the car: Richard Scarry’s Cars and Trucks and Things That Go, National Geographic Little Kids First Big Book of Things That Go, Look Inside Things That Go and Wimmelbooks Cars and Things That Go.
All reading is good reading. The chapter book about your child’s favorite football player might not be the best quality or a magazine might be more pictures than text, but it is still reading and that’s what counts.
Gift books. Books make great gifts and help build the home library. It’s an easy ask for kid’s birthday parties or grandparents. Even if you are worried about picking the right title, visit your independent bookstore, like Spark Books to get a gift card.
This month’s segment of Books & Beyond on Pittsburgh Today Live with Heather Abraham and David Highfield features tips for instilling a love of reading in your child. To watch the full segment, click here. The book for this month’s segment is Ferris by Kate DiCamillo, a perfect title for middle grade readers or even to read together as a family. Check out ACLA Youth Services on Facebook to find the parent tip sheet. Limited copies of the book are available, so if interested complete this survey after watching the segment.
