18 ways to help your kids fall in love with reading
In addition to picturing my children being impeccably
mannered, perfectly behaved angels, I also envisioned them devouring books the
way I did as a child. My son would tear through the "Hardy Boys" and
"Harry Potter" while my daughters fell in love with "Judy
Blume," "Beverly Cleary," and "The Baby-sitters Club"
series. But like most of my parenting fantasies, this one hasn't quite come
true yet. My husband and I have read to them every night since they were babies,
but as my oldest began to read on his own, it somehow became less fun to him. I
think part of it was those blasted daily-reading logs he was forced to fill out
starting in kindergarten. Suddenly, our nightly ritual became more work than
pleasure — a major buzzkill for us all.
Apparently this is not uncommon. "We want to get
kids reading, but they are under increasing pressure to do so, and it can
overshadow the joy of this wonderful shared activity," says Nancy
Carlsson-Paige, Ed.D., a professor emerita at Lesley University, in Cambridge,
MA, and the author of "Taking Back Childhood." Of course, part of
what makes reading enjoyable is being able to do it confidently. However,
"parents shouldn't be the ones reinforcing lessons or obsessing about
fundamentals," Dr. Carlsson-Paige notes. "They should simply be
reading with their kids — that's it."
In other words, keep it light and fun. Books should make
you laugh and smile, transport you to faraway lands, and transform you into
dragon-slaying sleuths, making you feel all the feelings along the way.
"If we treat books like they're magical, kids will grow up believing that
too," says Shanna Schwartz, lead senior staff developer at Columbia
University Teachers College Reading and Writing Project in New York City. Start
with these expert- and parent-approved ideas and the magic will follow.
1. Swap Ariana Grande for an
audiobook. Yes,
audiobooks count as reading — and they can help children do it better.
"Hearing someone reading a book confidently is a great way to experience
fluency, which is the ability to read a text accurately, quickly, and with good
expression," says Elissa Mostransky, a grade-school reading teacher and
mother of four. Her favorites: E.B. White reading Charlotte's Web and The Magic
Tree House series, which her boys listen to in the car on the way to and from
soccer practice. Borrow them at your library, or get a free listening app at
Audible.com.
2. Model reading love. "Children take cues from
adults," says Schwartz. "When you grow up surrounded by junk food,
you like junk food. When you grow up surrounded by books, you like books."
Annette Uvena, a mom of two reluctant readers, shares her excitement often:
"I make sure they see me reading, but I also talk to them about the book.
I'll excitedly point out something that reminds me of the story, because I want
them to see that books bring me joy and will bring them joy too."
3. Theme your nook. A quiet, cosy, full-of-books nook is
a must. "Kids love forts, so just draping two chairs with a blanket can do
the trick," says Christina Droskoski, a grade-school reading specialist
and mother of three. "But working with your child to make it an area where
she'd want to hang out makes reading time even more appealing." Consider a
beach theme: towels on the floor, a beach umbrella propped against the wall, a
poster of the ocean, and sand buckets to house the books. Other possibilities:
a pirates cove, rain forest, or spaceship.
4. Help bring books to life. Finding book-inspired activities to
do in real life, extends the experience, says Dr. Carlsson-Paige. If your
3-year-old loves The Three Little Pigs, take him to see some piggies in person.
Reading about the stars? Head to the planetarium. Or take a bookcation — to
London after reading Harry Potter, say, or New York City after reading Stuart
Little.
5. Celebrate writers. Start with Dr. Seuss — March 2 is his
birthday. (He'd be 113!) To commemorate the occasion, the National Education
Association instituted Read Across America Day for schools to participate in
reading competitions, games, and parties. Celebrate at home by introducing your
kids to one of the good doctor's lesser-known works. Some possibilities:
"And to Think That I Saw It on Mulberry Street" (his first book), "The
King's Stilts," and "I Wish That I Had Duck Feet."
6. Read the book, then watch the
movie. Pick a
classic that's been turned into a movie, "Bridge to Terabithia;"
"The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe;" or Charlie and the Chocolate
Factory" and read it together, a few chapters at a time. When you're
finished, host a family movie night to watch the film version. "It's a
great way to motivate reluctant readers," says Katie Vaccaro, a
grade-school teacher and mother of two.
7. Stash books all over. "Surrounding kids with books at
an early age gets them hooked," says Alice Sterling Honig, PhD, a
child-development expert at Syracuse University, in New York. Curate a basket
to reflect the current season — they'll be excited to see new titles, and tying
them to what's going on that month will bolster their interest. No holiday on
the horizon? Hit the library for topics your kid is currently digging. Leave
them out (even on the floor of the car!) and they will pick them up.
"Don't keep books up on shelves," says Dr. Honig. "Let little
kids touch them, carry them around, even take waterproof ones into the
bath."
8. Read aloud — even when they don't
need it.
"Reading aloud is both educational and social, so there are layers of
value there," says Dr. Carlsson-Paige. Plus, children learn to read best —
and to love it most — when they hear countless stories over many years in a
meaningful context (think cuddling on a parent's lap). Listening also gives
tired readers a break. Dr. Carlsson-Paige loves C.S. Lewis, E.B. White, and
Roald Dahl for read-alouds. GuysRead.com, specifically for boys, and
ReadingRockets.org are excellent sites for book ideas broken down by age and
interests.
9. Turn your library visits into
adventures. Lean
on librarians — they're paid to make reading magical for kids. Check in at the
front desk before hitting the stacks to see what kind of activities might be
going on. Bookmark the website, too, so you can see upcoming events. "Even
if you take your kid there for, say, a building project, he's going to
associate the library with fun, and that's a good thing," says Droskoski.
And be sure to get each of your children a library card. "It will help
them take ownership of the reading experience," she adds.
10. Reread the same books to little
ones. Books
advance early language development. At first, kids notice the pictures; then
they learn to turn the pages; then they realize the story is the same each time
— all key pre-reading skills. Books with rhymes are especially beneficial:
"Rhyming helps with phonemic awareness — recognizing repetition and
sounds," Dr. Carlsson-Paige says. "Kids love rhymes because they
learn what comes next and can chime in." Titles to try:
•"Brown Bear, Brown Bear, What Do You See?"
•"The Pout-Pout Fish"
•"Is Your Mama a Llama?"
•"How Do Dinosaurs Say Goodnight?"
11. Conquer the log. Mostransky has her three older kids
gather on the couch Sunday mornings, and they read together in their pj's for
about an hour. Then, when the craziness of the week comes, no one has to stress
about cramming in 20 minutes of reading on top of all the other homework.
"Once you start forcing kids to read, you're taking the fun right out of
it," says Mostransky. If the kids can't get it done — or they fall asleep,
as often happens — they can list one of the books they read on Sunday on their
reading log!
12. Get cooking. "When ingredients and
instructions are read slowly many times, it improves comprehension," notes
Droskoski. Get a cookbook at the library ("Cooking Class: 57 Fun Recipes
Kids Will Love to Make (and Eat!)," by Deanna F. Cook and "Kid Chef:
The Foodie Kids Cookbook: Healthy Recipes and Culinary Skills for the New Cook
in the Kitchen by Melina Hammer are both great) and let your child pick a meal
to make with you. "Ask her to read the recipe out loud while you
chop," says Droskoski. "Then switch roles." Have her write out a
menu too — incorporating writing in play also bolsters reading skills.
13. Start a club. All it takes is two people reading
the same book. Have your child ask a friend, or make it a mother-child
endeavor. Pick a deadline and a meeting place, and bring a few discussion
questions to get things going (best part, favourite character, ideas for an
alternate ending). "Reading is a social activity, and book clubs are a
great way to share the experience with friends or family," says Dr.
Carlsson-Paige, who is in a book club with her granddaughter. (They have
meetings over Skype!)
14. Ask questions. This enhances comprehension — and
enjoyment. (It's no fun if they don't get what's going on.) "It's not
about grilling, it's about checking in," says Dr. Carlsson-Paige. Ask
which characters he likes best, what he thinks will happen next, what he would
do in that situation. "If you overfocus on letters and sounds at the expense
of the story, children aren't as likely to become good readers," she
explains. "If you're a good reader, you read fast — you're not looking at
every letter, you're reading for meaning, which is what fuels the reading
process."
15. Turn to books at tough times. "Add books to any passion in a
child's life — or to any struggle," says Schwartz. Getting a puppy? Add a
book. Starting a new school? Add a book. "You're saying that books can
help when they're feeling sad, or excited, or anything," she notes. Have
the "book fairy" drop it off: "Wrap the book and leave it with a
note — 'I heard you're going to be a big sister. This will help you learn about
your new role. Love, the Book Fairy.' "Some scenario-specific suggestions:
•"Much Bigger Than Martin," by Steven Kellogg,
for sibling rivalry
•"Penguin Problems," by Jory John, for a
grumpy, negative attitude
•"Swimmy," by Leo Lionni, for dealing with
adversity and bullies
•"The Tenth Good Thing About Barney," by Judith
Viorst, for the loss of a pet
•"Where Do They Go?" by Julia Alvarez, for
coping with death
16. Get a little goofy. Buy your older readers a headlamp so
they can stay up "past bedtime." It helps remind them that reading is
a treat and a privilege — and they'll feel grown-up. Bonus: You can borrow the
headlamp for winter grilling!
17. Count on magazines. "Magazines help teach kids that
current information is valuable," says Schwartz. "They give us the
opportunity to become interested in things we didn't know we cared about."
Getting a new issue is exciting, and it's important to build a ritual around
that for your child, Schwartz suggests. If your child gets Highlights, for
example, maybe he'll always go first to the hidden-picture page. Or perhaps
he'll like reading National Geographic Kids while sitting by the big window
overlooking the yard.
18. Give the gift that keeps them
reading. When
your relatives asks about birthday presents, suggest books! Have your kids give
them to their friends too, with an inscription that tells the recipient why this
book is special for her. "You're teaching your child that books are a way
to connect with others," says Schwartz.
Source | http://www.thespec.com/living-story/7223581-18-ways-to-help-your-kids-fall-in-love-with-reading/
Regards
Pralhad
Jadhav
Senior
Manager @ Knowledge Repository
Khaitan & Co
Upcoming Event | MANLIBNET 17th Annual
International Conference on 15-16 September 2017 at Jaipuria, Noida, India
nice article sir, the ways suggested to develop reading habits among kids are really good we may try it..Thanks for sharing d same...keep sharing such nice articles...
ReplyDeleteRajshree Autade