Reading habit is on the wane among people in the recent years with so many screen-based
alternatives for acquiring knowledge as well as for entertainment. People often complain about a
general lack of good language skills and a constructive thought process among the masses today.
Reading has this amazing capacity to take you to unknown worlds, broaden your horizons, make you.
stress-free and of course boost your self-confidence. You improve your communication skills,
analytical powers and problem-solving skills, in addition, to name just a few more benefits. So, how
would you inculcate good reading habits in your kids? Following are some proven ways to make your
children fall in love with reading!
- Read to them everyday from a very young age
Remember the Abhimanyu epic? He learnt to negotiate the vicious Chakravyuh from inside his
mother’s womb when Arjun, his father, was narrating the story. Your kids like someone speaking in a
sweet, loud voice besides enjoying your lap or a cozy bed. This makes them feel the importance of
the reading exercises. We started reading stories and rhymes to our infant son. and to us
amazement, as soon as Vyom started to speak, he insisted on us narrating stories to him at his
bedtime. The routine still continues!
2. Make reading a part of your daily routine
Make sure your child often watches you reading something- be it books, magazines, graphic novels.
or your official literature- and enjoying it. It’s best to allot a regular time slot so your kid feels your
enthusiasm and discipline and get inspired by it. They learn from what they observe and might try.
to emulate you. My mother is very fond of reading books, and she also gave tuitions to children.
There was always an environment conducive to reading in our home. We never even realized when.
reading became a part of our lives.
3. Create a reading space
Creating a nice, comfortable reading space with enough light and room for a couple of books (or
more) will help your child to connect with coziness and comfort attached to reading. In addition, you
can ensure they see books kept at different places in an orderly manner to understand their value in
human life. Vyom sees nice books kept in all parts of our home and he has developed an affinity.
towards them. He handles them tenderly and often we catch him glancing at them with great pleasure.
4. Take the kids to libraries
Libraries are great resources to find new books and authors. Once your kids are a little older, you can
take them to visit some libraries to let them feel that awesome environment. They can explore
interesting subjects and authors with your help and that of the librarian. This will greatly enhance
their curiosity. Some libraries also conduct fascinating story hours and other literacy programs to
keep the children fascinated and spellbound. I still remember the first time my father took me to
Bhopal Public Library. Those endless, towering racks of books mesmerized me. And I was just
fascinated by that sweet smell of the paper. Of course, watching at all those people immersed in
their books with a curious smile on their faces is a memory that still lingers.
5. Re-read their favourite stories
You might get bored reading the same stuff again and again, but the kids like to listen to/ read the
same story many times over. They love noticing things they missed earlier and this also enables
them to think on their own. As a result, they will improve their vocabulary, writing skills, and
analytical power. The text structure and flow of language become clearer every time they read the
same thing again increasing their love of reading. Vyom often surprises us with an observation that
tells us how engrossed he was in the story. He sometimes confesses he had missed that detail earlier
and that really gladdens our hearts.
6. Read what interests them
You can experiment with different genres to identify the interest areas of your child. Once you are
sure the kind of literature the kids like the most, you can focus primarily on that. Adding some
variety will make it more interesting though, and that will also expand their horizon. Later they will
actually come up with their own preferences. I must have been about 6 years when I surprised my
mother by requesting her to read me the story of an adventurous girl rather than that of an sweet
angel.
7. Ask questions
Asking questions and inviting the kids to come up with their queries will make it more fulfilling for
them. This will make them notice things they missed or didn’t properly understand. These question
and answer sessions will also strengthen your bond as they will develop trust in you. Kids will
improve their logical thinking, emotional intelligence and communication skills. Vyom often comes
up with questions beyond his years, like he once asked why cannot a flock of sheep resist an
individual wolf?
8. Gift them books
Make it a practice to gift them good books on special occasions. You can also take home a book on
their favorite subject or written by an author they admire whenever you are returning from an
outstation trip. You can also set challenges and rewards for them. If they finish something within the
allotted time frame, they can be taken to their favorite restaurant or given something they cherish.
We sisters used to wait so impatiently for our father when he was on a tour. And he would always
make us super happy by bringing us a variety of books when he came back.
Reading has the potential to develop a child’s overall personality and empower them with strong
intellect, analytical thinking, self-confidence and communication skills. Try inculcating good reading
habits in your kids using the tips given above and help them grow into endearing and successful
personalities.
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