The process of learning how to enjoy reading, begins from the moment of conception, so the best time to start developing the reading habits in your children is during pregnancy by reading outloud to your baby.
However, in this opportunity I will write about the way you can develop reading habits in children from 2 to 4 years.
The first way in which the literacy should be motivated is with songs, chants, conversations and parents reading. When the kids listen their parents read, and feel their body close to them, they start accepting being close to “the reading environment”. Definitely oral reading is the main way in which they will acquire the knowledge of how their world works. However is necessary to complement this narrative process with books containing images, for these images are the ones that will give them confidence on what they are listening to, by relating those “known” images to the words. According to experts, it is also important to give them affective responses, like smiles or hugs, for these will encourage their desire to learn. So if you are a loving mother don’t be afraid to kiss them and hug them all you want. You’re helping them in different levels but in this case, to enjoy reading time.
The first contact kids have with literature is through illustration books, so it is even better when these illustrations come as pieces they have to fit in the book, because in this way they are also developing their motor skills. At other hand, the songs and chants will also create a need to know their world better, this awakes their curiosity and will give them the wish to read more and more, forever.
If you’re wondering what kind of book is the most recommendable to begin with the process, you must look for one who helps your children to relate the language with his environment. This is for example, if you live in the city, you can look for a book that talks about the city, the buildings, the cars, etc, but if you live in the country, you may want to start with a book that talks about animals, flowers, or trees. The book must be literary as well as informative.
Finally, if you want to make the reading a long term habit, every night create a bedtime story, and sometimes let your child share some of his ideas to be part of the story too. If you can, try to do different voices for each character, use elements from your environment in a different, fantastic and creative way, do movements and be a little dramatic (which let’s face it, women can do from time to time) and if the story allows you, do animal noises.
I can tell you by experience (because my grandpa told me amazing stories and I currently love to read), that this will help your children to always want to read and somehow remember that magical world that you can only find in a book.
I’m not a mom yet, so I can’t give you my children testimony, but I have worked as a teacher and I have studied this kind of facts that will help a kid to improve their reading skills, so I really hope these advices help you, if you’re not doing them yet.
Some of you may be thinking that is kind of late for your kids to apply these methods, but I hope in next posts to talk about other methods for older kids and teenagers.
Greetings!
