The state of children's reading has received a lot of press recently.  In short, fewer kids are reading for pleasure. Not that this is that astounding in any way. Competition for kids' attention these days is fierce. Unlike when I grew up, kids now have a multitude of other options to spend their free time.  Five hundred TV channels, vs. five.  Internet and media devices everywhere saturated with games, music and social networks.

The problem is that not reading regularly has rather dire results on a child's literacy and suprisingly, later ability in Math.  Added to that, it can also impact early development of social skills as discussed in a previous post. So it's no wonder that reading has become such a hot topic.

A Central Theme

I chatted to the teachers we work with, as well as scouring numerous articles on the subject, and have come up with six easy tips to get your child reading.  Many of the points warrent greater attention, which I will do in dedicated later posts.

One central theme stuck out: The role of parent, or caregiver, is vital. Relying on schools and teachers is not enough.  It is up to the parent to become involved out of school hours for any real reading success. And in fact, the more the parents are involved before school even starts, the better.
Our top reading tips are:

1. Vary for interest.

Read lots of different stories, poems and rhymes with your child. Don't become too fixated on the type of books or reading material you use, including comics, a subject of recent discussion.  Every little bit of reading counts.
Guide your finger across the words to help your child follow along.

2. Encourage participation.

Let your child ask questions about the stories or pictures. Take time to stop and talk about the tale. And when you read a familiar book, let the child finish the phrase.  This will encourage them to become more active in the story.

3. Make it fun!

Make reading a time to look forward to. If it isn't fun, your child won't enjoy it.  Snuggle down in bed or the sofa, perhaps with a hot chocolate drink as a treat. Use different voices for the characters, bringing the story to life.  And even introduce sound effects, which your or your child could make.
Never underestimate the value your child places on your one-on-one time together.  Reading together with your child helps builds security and their self-esteem.

4. Engage your child in the story.

A good way to engage kids is through personalized children's books. The inclusion of the child's name and real references to family, friends and home life goes a long way in getting their attention.  Even better if you can personalize the illustrations to resemble the child. Kids love to read about and see themselves! They want to read their 'special' books again and again!

5. Be a good reading role model.

The more often your children see you reading, the more they will think about reading as a pleasurable activity. Being an active role model is important, especially in younger years when kids tend to mimic most of your actions.
Media endorsement of books such as Harry Potter, The Da Vinci code and Twilight have helped to stimulate reading interest, but this promotion tends to be more sporadic and pop-culture driven than a true reading motivation.

6. Read often!

As with most things in life, practice does make perfect. Build reading into a daily routine.  Whether its bedtime, weekends or part of 'story hour' at school or daycare, ensure that the program, caregiver or you, slot in a time to read. It's a habit you, or your child, will always be thankful for.

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