When we complain because young people do not read, it is generally because they did not acquire the habit from a young age, which is why it is so important to ensure that children are close to books from a very young age, whether it is only with pictures when they are very young, stories, comics, to that when they are older they can enjoy reading.
Parents are responsible for this task and we should not let the school take care of this, the school accompanies the training of children but good habits and reading is one of them.
It is necessary to ensure that reading is not seen as something boring and this can be achieved with good stimulation from an early age, not necessarily when children already know how to read, but with books that have striking images that allow them to manipulate them to maintain contact. visual that with time will be transformed into reading and a taste for it.
Reading develops the imagination, reading a book is much more interesting than watching a movie on the same topic. Imagining the places, the characters, the situations makes the mind fly much further than looking at what is already done and defined.
What do you need to encourage children’s reading?
- Children’s books
- Children’s magazines
- Story books
Instructions to promote children’s reading
- Enjoying reading is rarely achieved in adulthood, it is something that should be encouraged from a young age. It is a habit that has to be formed, such as hygiene habits. This activity requires silence and concentration to achieve the interpretation of what is read. Many children read, repeating words or phrases without making sense of what they are reading. That is why it is so important that from a young age you work well on this. Read and comment, ask about what is being read, ask the child what any of the words she has read means. Reading for the child to be interested must make sense and this is something that is also learned from a young age.
- It is important to differentiate and for the child to see that reading as learning or as an obligation at school is different from reading for pleasure. The child must be able to choose his books for pleasant reading and we should not get angry if he does not finish reading a book or does not care if we buy him a dinosaur book, perhaps he does not like the subject and we can simply look for another.
- When the child is small and knows how to speak, that is, they understand what they are told, one of the most beautiful activities that encourage children’s reading is for someone to read to them. Reading a story while they look at the figures, reading and dramatizing it to interest them even more will make them enjoy those moments, it can be before going to sleep, in bed or at any time. When an older person reads emphasizing the plot of the story, the child will feel curious and the need to achieve it on their own sometime.
- Creating the habit of reading can be achieved by assigning it a certain time and schedule. If the child enjoys having one of their parents, older siblings or grandparents read them stories before going to sleep, this will make them feel that need and over time, when they learn to read, they will do so naturally.
- When they already read alone we must provide them with books adapted to their age, varying the themes. Sometimes stories or tales can tire them, so we can try interesting books about animals, in which they find information adapted to their age. This way they will be learning and will have a topic of conversation when they tell us about what they read. It is essential to listen to them and value what they tell us so that the stimulation continues.
- Reading children’s books with children makes them not only discover the fantastic characters but also get involved with them in their adventures, feel emotion, fear, joy… all this will arouse more and more interest. A long story that leaves the continuation for another day will also keep him interested.
- Reading should be taken as a game, entertainment, we should never force reading, it should never be a punishment for doing something wrong: “go to your room to read because you won’t play with anyone”. This makes the child associate it with something bad, boring and sad. Reading should be a reason for happiness to create a healthy and beneficial habit.
- It is also a good idea to visit libraries or bookstores with children because they will not only be able to see books, be interested looking inside, but also these places usually have people who read children’s stories with very good expression. Children will be entertained while parents look at books for them.
- We cannot stop taking advantage of new technologies and searching the Internet for games and readings for children. There are activities prepared so that they feel attracted and read words, phrases and stories through interesting activities. But never let the child be in contact with the book, with the sheets of paper, the figures, drawings and printed words that he can refer to a thousand times, keep for his younger siblings, see and remember with affection when They are big and they see those books that accompanied their childhood again.
- An older person who has his place, his chair, perhaps by the window or in a park and reads a book gives us the feeling that he is in another world and it is because he is really enjoying reading.
Tips to encourage children’s reading
- Children learn and acquire habits by imitation, which is why it is so important that they see their parents and siblings who also read.
- Reading with friends is another way that they feel attracted, as well as sharing board games, especially on winter days they can share books.
- Just as we must teach a child to take care of his toys, we must teach him to take care of books, not break or scratch them.