12 easy ways to develop Reading habit in Kids

Reading is the backbone of education, but sadly, many of today’s kids prefer to watch TV or play a video game rather than read a book. The reason – modern parents don’t focus much on how to encourage “Good reads” in kids daily routine. Nurturing a love of reading in children can be an insurmountable task for anyone, but with the proper use of right techniques, one can easily turn their reluctant child into a little bookworm. Inculcating reading habit in kids is of utmost importance & should not be missed from the early stage. Here is how you can inspire your little one to be a lifelong rampant reader!

Tips to develop reading habit in kids & help them fall in love with books:

1. Read to Your Child Early and Often:

To help your child understand the real importance of reading, start reading stories, bedtime stories from an early age (by 1 year). Start the routine with some short stories or Good reads. This will foster a love of new words and ideas & help develop reading habit in kids in near future. Invest in some board books and cloth books and read them to your child whenever you both have quality free time.

2. Read What Interests Your Child:

Instead of forcing your little one to read what you like, encourage him to read something he has keen interest in. No matter if it is newspaper, poetry, fiction, comic book, non-fiction, or another great reading material, let your child read what he wants. However, you should always make sure that your little one is reading age-appropriate material.

3. Surround Your Child with Books:

Leave books lying around the house in every room so they soon become a crucial part of your kids lives. Children who grow up with reading material all around them learn to love reading earlier than those who grow up in absence of essential reading resources. Filling your home with lots of books, you make your child ready to get reading – even if it’s only for a few minutes. And later you’ll be happy to see reading habit in kids.

4. Set a Daily Reading Time:

If you really want to develop a love for reading in your children, it’s important that you encourage them to read at a specific time of day – every day. Be it late afternoon, half an hour before bedtime, just after dinner, or whatever works best for you, set up a cozy reading time for your little one and follow it strictly. That way your child will treat reading as an important everyday task.

5. Ask Questions:

To keep your little one hooked in the book he is reading, ask him some relevant questions and also encourage him to ask the same from you. Ask what’s happened so far, what he thinks will happen next, and how he would tackle a particular situation. Remember, the more questions you ask to your kid, the more his love for reading will grow.

6. Let Your Children Select Their Favorite Books and Authors:

Whenever you visit a library or book store, encourage your toddler to select new books on his own to read. Also, ask the shopkeeper or librarian to recommend authors based on your child’s interests and hobbies. By letting your little one choose his favorite reading material, you not only boost his level of interest in reading but also help him develop a sense of independence.

7. Demonstrate Your Love of Reading to Your Kids:

Talk to your child about your favorite books and explain him why you love them. As children love to imitate parents, showing your toddler your own love of reading will help him better understand why books are essential to the daily life. Make it a habit to always have a good book going and share what you gained by reading a certain book with your child.

8. Read Their Favorites Again and Again:

If your child loves to read a particular book over and over again, don’t be upset. It’s actually a good sign that he is taking interest in reading and thereby getting attached to that story. Continue this practice and let your child re-read the books he loves. Re-reading not only helps a child build fluency and confidence but also lets him master the whole story over time.

9. Set Challenges and Rewards:

Set a reading goal for your little one and if he achieves the goal, reward him with something that he really wants. It could be anything, like his favorite snack, money, a new toy, an outdoor trip or whatever motivates your child to read more. For example, if your little one reads for half an hour every day, offer to give him his favorite delicacy.

10. Be a Good Role Model:

To instil a love of reading in your kids, be an avid reader yourself and read in front of them as much as you can. Read whatever you like – a magazine, a novel, a cookbook, or a newspaper – but make your child realize that you love reading and learning new things. Keep in mind; children learn best from their parents – especially when it’s about reading. Hence, try to be a good reading “role model” for your kids.

11. Gift them Books:

If you want to gift your little one something really special that could foster a love of reading in him, there is nothing better than a book. Give books as gifts because it is the best way to develop reading habit in kids. Also, ask your relatives to give your child books as birthday presents and suggest the same to your little munchkin’s friends.

12. Make Full Use of Creative Reading Apps:

In this era of technology, you can also take advantage of smart phones, tablets, and e-readers to make your kids fall in love with reading. Where e-readers can be easily adapted to every child’s specific needs, on the other hand, smart phones and tablets allow you to install a variety of handy reading apps which make the entire process of reading a fun for your children. Let these technological advances help develop the reading habit in kids & turn reluctant child into an avid reader.

Thanking Nishant, for this informative post!

Meet Nishant – Nishant Gupta is the founder of WobblyWalk and he loves to read and write about parenting, pregnancy, motherhood, baby & moms care. He feels the difficulty of his wife as a mother and tries to share tips for all mothers to overcome these difficulties.