Reading time is an important part of any child’s upbringing. The more often a child reads, the better they will become at it. This is why it is important that parents make sure their children are reading every day. Children should be encouraged to read in the same way that they are encouraged to brush their teeth or eat dinner every night.
Following are several steps on making sure your child reads every day and improving your family’s literacy skills.
Encourage your child to read.
The first step in helping your child to read is to limit the amount of time they spend in front of screens. Whether they are watching TV, playing video games, or using their phone or computer while they should be reading. Screen time will have a negative effect on their developing literacy skills. You could also talk to your child’s teacher about reading strategies. There might be interesting topics for them to study that might encourage them to read more often.
Set up a daily routine for when your child reads.
Second, you can help your child to practice the skill of reading. This can be done by setting up a reading time for them every day. It is important to set up a routine that you stick to. This means your child will be motivated to read when they have free time. Establishing a daily routine also improves their ability to attend class, which helps in school performance. When there is a pattern established for reading time, it will be easier for them to focus and pay attention during school-based activities.
Make books a part of their life.
The next step is to integrate reading into their life. Most children become interested in reading when they are around five years old. However, due to television, video games and other electronic devices, this interest will be missed out on. Even before they turn six, you can start encouraging your child to read by showing them books that they like. Ask them what they think of them. Having a book read to your child also helps start the habit of reading at home. If you do not have a lot of books at home, you can visit a library to borrow some.
Have them read on their own.
Once your child is interested in reading, you can start encouraging them to read books on their own. However, there are certain books that are more interesting than others and will encourage your child to want to read. These kinds of books include biographies, fiction and historical fiction. Biographies of people the child is interested in, like a sports player or actor or character from their favorite show, will encourage them to read and learn more about that person. Historical fiction allows children to learn about a certain time period in a fun way. You can also find books that address topics your child is interested in and follow up on those interesting topics with more reading material.
Set goals
The final step is to set realistic goals for your child for how often they read. You should also encourage your child to read every day and not just focus on the amount of time they should spend reading. You will want to also take into account how long it takes your child to read a book. This will be depending on their age.
There are many different ways that parents can help their children to improve their literacy skills. Setting up a simple reading routine, making sure they have access to books that interest them and showing your child how important reading is in everyday life will all encourage them to practice this skill more often.