5 ways to inculcate reading habits among the children

One of the best things you can give to your child is a “book”. The best gift you can give to them is the “joy of reading”.  But in today’s world it’s no easy to get your child read a book when he has indefinite distractions around him in the form of smart phones, play stations, video games, tablets and much more. Here are 5 ways to get your child read a book.

Keep the devices away

One of the reasons why children are gravitating away from books is the unlimited access that they have to electronic devices, whether it is a mobile phone, tablet, computer or television. Limiting their screen time and replacing it with reading time can be a tedious task but is quite achievable.

Read to your children

The best thing you could be doing to help your child cultivate the reading habit is reading to them. Once children start enjoying the power of the written word and the worlds into which books take us, it won’t be long before they will ask for books to read themselves. In fact one of the things that you can do to pique their curiosity is to read half the story to them, expecting them to finish reading the rest on their own.

Start with picture books

Introducing them to books even when they have not learnt to read can be the first step towards developing the strong reading habits among your child. Show them picture books which are colorful and well-illustrated.

Set aside a reading time

Designate a time during the day when everyone in the house is reading. Turn it into a family activity. You could all take turns reading a book aloud, or read different characters in different voices. This is one of the best ways to encourage the reading habit, as children learn from imitating adults. So, lead by example and read around your children.

Gift your children books

Make it a habit to gift books to your children on festive occasions and birthdays. Write a loving message for them on the first page and it will become more precious for them. Once they are done the reading, they can be shared with their friends and siblings. You could also gift them a library membership when they are a little older.