FOR children today, reading books has some severe competition from several other, seemingly more interesting pursuits.
Watching television or playing video games doesn’t encourage children to visualise scenarios or play around with their imagination as much as a love for reading does.
Needless to say, the reasons for nurturing a love for reading in children are diverse and can do wonders in increasing their overall proficiency as they grow as well as inducing a vivid imagination. Here are a few simple ways you can do that.
Set aside a regular reading time: “If you make reading to your child a part of your daily routine, it will become a habit to them, in much the same way like getting dressed or brushing their teeth becomes a daily activity,” says psychologist Seema Hingorany.
Match their personal interests: Start off by reading books matching your child’s personal likes. It could be anything, right from dinosaurs to space ships, from planets to gardening. Once you get them interested, most of the work is done. Reading books of various genrés can help to enhance the capability of the child to articulate themselves better.
Model good and consistent reading habits: If you read often or consistently, it’s bound to rub off on your child as well. “It could be something simple like reading the newspaper on a daily basis or your favourite magazine, but it is important for your kids to see you read as well,” says counsellor Anita Peters.
Join a library or reading group: Libraries can give you a better idea of what to read to your kid and how. An added advantage of this is that you can virtually devour books without worrying about any financial constraints or hassle of buying books that aren’t easily available in the markets.
— Times of India
