10 Tips to Encourage Your Baby to Love Reading
As a resident book worm myself, I have always wanted my kid to develop the same love for reading as my own mom has instilled in me. And I know that the earlier I start, the better. Below are a few tips I want to share about how I develop my kid’s interest in books with the hopes that we can have more book lover little ones out there! So without further ado, let’s dive in:
1. The fewer the words, the larger the pictures, the better. Seeing as they can’t really read as young as they are, the goal is for them to familiarise themselves with the letters of the alphabet and to associate the sounds with them.
2. Be wise in creating your criteria when choosing books. I and my family are lucky enough to be just a mere 10-minute bus ride from the library. So in choosing what books to borrow, my go-to criteria would be any that fits the following criteria: something that has real-life picture books, something that I can sing to (e.g. wheels on the bus, 5 little ducks), and touch-and-feel books.
3. Relate what you read to actual real life-scenarios. This is where real-life picture books come in handy. They help kids younger than a year old to be exposed to picture books/flash cards that portray real-life stuff and familiar objects around the house for them to easily develop recognition. Bonus: You can use these books to prep your kid for when you’re going to the zoo or bird park for the first time. And remember that familiarity and them knowing what to expect decreases the chances of meltdowns.
4. Be as animated as you can when reading. Make your voice deeper, softer, high-pitched or what have you. Sing it if you can! Children loves it when you sing songs to them. No matter your tone-deafness, they’ll always still be your number one fan and will always be entertained no matter what!
5. Repetition is key. You can read as many books as they want, but try to have at least that one book that you’d read over and over again for at least a week. In the very early months even, introduce one book per week and read it to them as often as you can. This further helps them develop sound association.
6. Short attention span is normal. Expect that you won’t get their attention for long. Remember that all kids have short attention span. Be proud of yourself if they sit and listen for at least a page. Just continue to read it anyways. Let them roam around if they have to. Be kind to yourself and try again next time.
7. Have a guilt-free book. Have that one (or two, or several) books that they can freely explore (tear the pages or stuff inside their mouth). These is where I highly recommend cloth and indestructible books to be given to them. At their age, remember that using their hands and mouths are their ways to learn. So have these books for your kid to freely ‘destroy’ or put in their mouths without the added stress of keeping a sharp eye on what they’re doing to these books.
8. Give them something to do while reading. They can flip the pages for you, or you can ask them a question that will lead them to pointing their answer in the storybook. Making them a part of the routine and not just dictating to them what to do makes it more engaging and interesting for them too. This stage will take some time to reach though. Nonetheless, give it a shot. You’ll be surprised at how they can react to your questions.
9. Have them sit on your lap. This helps to build a sense of routine in them during storytime, and bonus points for those extra-sweet bonding and snuggle time. Although it is important to note that your kid might prefer to move around and won’t stay long on your lap. This is perfectly normal! Your kid needs movement, just let them be and continue reading anyways.
10. Create a comfortable space that encourages reading. Our family has an area in our house where we would have our devotional reading, and understandably, it’s where most of the books can be found. It’s also where we put most of our kid’s books. We placed it in such a way where his books are all accessible to him, grab for them and lets him flip through them freely. I recommend a bookshelf that lets your kid see the book covers, as they can’t read the titles just yet the way we normally do in adult bookshelves.
There you have it. My ten tips for you to develop your child’s interest in reading. Take note again that all children are different, and what worked for me may not necessarily work for you. So take what you can from these tips and don’t force yourself to apply all of them. Your kid will eventually learn to read if you as the parent, continue to encourage them. Happy learning, dear Parents! 💕
