From the moment that you are pregnant with your first child, you are bombarded with the importance of reading, and with good reason too. However, while raising a reader can be relatively easy if you ensure that you follow a few tips, it might not come as second nature to a lot of parents, especially if you were not born in a reading environment yourself.
The benefits of reading at every stage of a child’s development are endless and well-documented too. Reading can help with language acquisition while also helping develop communication, social and literacy skills. It can instil a sense of imagination in your child’s upbringing and also stimulate curiosity. Reading can help improve their concentration and memory, especially when in today’s world, they are heavily immersed in the digital from a very young age.
So, how can you increase your child’s chances of becoming a reader in Malta? Follow these tips to help your little one develop their skills and enjoy the process!
Reconnect with your inner reader
This is the perfect time to reintroduce reading into your life if you’ve let it lapse. Make time and room for both reading for yourself and reading aloud to your child. Be a reader yourself if you wish to raise a reader.
Do not wait… start young!
You might believe that you can put off reading to your child until they are at least vertical, but this is untrue. Even young children can benefit from listening to stories, and the best thing about this is that they can’t complain about your book preferences… so benefit from it!
Growing up in a reading environment will encourage your child to read. Reading aloud to them every day will also help while adding funny voices to bring characters to life will make it all the more enjoyable.
Encourage their reading choices
There are so many different genres for your child to enjoy. There’s fiction, non-fiction, poetry, comic books, magazines, etc. Try leaving a couple around the house and see which ones your child is inclined to pick up. Malta Libraries have also increased their book stock drastically – take your child to the national library closest to you and let them explore different genres.
Make reading a family activity
Pick a favourite time to start a family reading session and have fun with it. This could involve having your children read aloud to one another, reading various books at the same time, or any combination of these.
Everyone can unwind during this time spent reading together. Creating a comfortable environment that your child associates with reading time also helps. Consider having a small reading nook in their bedroom or living room.
Encourage talking about books
This is a fantastic approach to creating connections, advancing learning, and increasing reading enjoyment. Start by talking about the book’s front cover and what it reveals or implies the book might be about. Next, discuss what you’ve been reading and offer your views. You might discuss how the book makes you feel and what it makes you think.
You can even watch online reading sessions together or sign your kids up for a reading club like the Reading Club International, a club designed to spark creativity, language and life skills or enrol them in a book club like the Agenda Kids Club that offers discounts on children’s books.
Make reading active
Play activities that require you to connect words, objects, and photos, such as reading about an object and looking for comparable items around your house. You may arrange treasure hunts based on the books you are reading. Consider utilising pictures from your day and adding descriptions to make your youngster their very own book.
Making reading fun is essential for raising an avid reader. Loving books is a blessing and a unique portal to your child’s wild imagination!
