Fostering a love for reading

  

I am a self-proclaimed reader who love reading from a very young age. As such, I am always excited to begin sharing the love of reading with anyone I know. The time I spent with books transformed my life and sparked my imagination. I wanted to create a similar experience for my children, but I found that it was sometimes a challenge due to the different environment that we were brought up. Luckily, it was all well worth the effort. 

Fostering the love of reading in youngsters today do take a little work, but there are plenty of resources available to support us in this effort. Below are five suggestions that can be used to get started with leading the "love for reading" charge.

1. Read Aloud

Read-aloud time was one of the favourite things enjoyed by my children. They loved the chance to sit together on the carpet and listen to me reading to them. It was one of the best times of the day for me. I loved to read in different voices and "ham it up," depending on the book we were reading. It gave the children a chance to see me in a different light and connect with me in a down-to-earth way.

Don't neglect this opportunity to bring reading alive to the children. Remember that it's OK to read five books many times during the year, and to include chapter books and poetry as well.

2. Visit the Library -- Weekly

When was the last time you stepped into your local library to check out the haps? When was the last time you did this with your children? It's true that many school libraries have been shut down, but why not consider planning a routine visit to the library? It's an amazing opportunity to get books into the hands of your kids -- for free!

3. Develop a Home Library

Did you know that research says that it's a good step to set up a Home Library for the children to support their literacy?  To share the love of reading with the kids, we need to have a variety of books that are easily accessible for them to read.

4. Start a Book Club

The idea of a book club can be so exciting for our kids. Many children will benefit from the fun interaction that a book club can provide. Book talks with friends makes the idea of reading that much more enjoyable. The whole social nature of book clubs can be a very positive activity for kids who may still feel that reading is boring.

5. Write Stories

Writing stories can be overwhelming for kids. At the beginning, let's make this easy and fun. Try the idea of adapting a current storyline of a favourite book and having students turn that into "their" story. Young children especially can benefit from this strategy to support their writing until they are ready to write (with your guidance) on their own.

The five tips I've shared above may not be new to you, but they are a way to help you stay on course with nurturing a love of reading in your children.

 

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