There are some children who are naturally fascinated by books and reading. On the other hand, there are others who must be motivated and helped to promote reading, which has so many benefits for them. Because from a young age at home with small gestures we can instill the precious habit of reading. Today we are going to talk to you about how to motivate a child to read.
The importance of reading
The feelings that reading awakens in the little ones, will make them good readers in the future or not. And this is something that parents should encourage at home, since the reading brings many benefits to them. It is more than just learning a skill. It is an activity that also reports:
- Acquisition of vocabulary. Thanks to reading, children learn more vocabulary every day than a child who does not read. In addition, they are internalizing them and they will learn to express themselves better.
- Develop imagination. Nothing better than a book to awaken our imagination. Children are overflowing with curiosity and imagination, which if you don't work, ends up being lost.
- Improve your reading ability. It is not just about learning to read, but about understanding what is read. Many children have this difficulty because learning focuses on the acquisition of skills. If your child has a poor reading ability it will affect his whole life.
- Improves concentration. Reading requires concentration, in a world where children are overloaded with stimuli. Them allows you to redirect your attention to a point, which unmistakably improves your ability to concentrate.
- Better self-knowledge. When they read, they also see stories where the characters go through situations similar to their own and feel understood. They empathize with the characters and they learn more about their own behavior and feelings.
- They improve their expression. By having more vocabulary, their way of expressing themselves is also expanded so that they can communicate better.
How to motivate a child to read
- Go with him to the library. You have to get acquainted with the library and books. You may let him choose in age-appropriate books so you can find your own taste and browse through the different types of books out there. You can also ask for a recommendation according to his age if he is still too young to choose.
- Read to him every day. The perfect time would be before bedtime, where the children choose an account and mom / dad read it to them. The sooner we establish this habit, the more they will get used to reading, even if they are still very young. Do not wait for them to read to foster a love of reading.
- Give example. Parents who read don't have to try too hard to get their children to read, as their own example makes them want to read too. So if you want your child to read more, it's time to also encourage reading in yourself.
- That they do not see reading as an obligation. If a child detects that something is an obligation or something boring, he will automatically hate it. You have to see it as a pleasant choice, which allows you to go to other worlds without leaving the site and learn new things. If it gives you pleasure, it will be easier for you to repeat it.
- Give him books. On special dates, give him books, so he will associate it with something fun. See them as one more fun, a fun game where you can have a good time. You can also tell your family and friends to give you a book instead of so many toys. The being surrounded by books makes it easier that children acquire the habit of reading.
- Create a library at home. With the books that you buy, that they give her and that she brings from the library, you can create a small library at home that is at her hand. This way you can pick up the stories whenever you want and it is easier to motivate a child to read. It is also necessary to explain to them that the books must be taken care of, especially those of the library that must be returned.
- Be patient. Each child has their own rhythm and you don't have to force it. If you pretend him to read too soon and force him, he will end up catching books and rejecting them.
Because remember ... whoever embraces reading will hardly be able to resist it.