The Simplest and Most Effective Tips to Raise a Reader

Different teachers use different methods to boost reading skills in children. But it’s totally alright for parents to feel anxious about their children’s growth. In fact, it is important for parents to start building reading habits in kids at an early stage to create an interest and make them confident readers naturally.

To help you get started, here are some tips on how to raise a reader:

1. Read to Your Children –Toddlers start to understand words way before they can start to read. And children can understand books that are above their reading level. So, start reading to your child every day at an early stage and continue it even if they now know how to read. This will expand their vocabulary and also stir their imagination.

Read a few pages every day. If your child is easily distracted, let them do their activity, for example – playing with toys or eating, while you can read to them. This will help in developing reading skills naturally like walking and talking.

2. Keep Books Beside Their Bed –The most important step in raising a reader is making books a part of their daily life, even before they can start reading. They can see pictures and make a story out of them. Moreover, you can get one of those interactive books and incorporate book reading in their playtime. Most importantly, make sure that the books are visible all the time and easily accessible to them. And what can be a better place than beside their bed?

3. Take Them on Library Outings –No amount of external push can help in raising a reader if your child is not interested in learning to read books. So, make reading fun and fascinating. Take them to the library as often as you can and let them pick their own book. You will be able to know what kind of books they like. Moreover, giving them choices can increase the chance of kids reading books because it would be an activity that they chose, not something that was imposed on them. 

4. Inculcate Reading and Writing in Everyday Activities – Use every opportunity to show your child how important reading and writing are in everyday life. Involve them in activities that include making notes or lists, for example going grocery shopping, cooking from a recipe book, writing notes and letters to people, etc. Making reading a part of their daily life can work wonders in developing reading skills in children.

5. Emphasize the Positive –Reading shouldn’t be a short-term habit. So, to keep your child motivated to read books, praise them every time they finish a book, fix a spelling error, read a difficult word, or interpret a story from pictures. If they finish a book without any assistance, reward them with something like homemade freezer pops or candies.

Look for stories or genres that your kid may be more interested in.

Organise a dedicated reading space for children.

Visit the library and expose kids to the magical world of books.

Encourage your child to discuss what they read.

Talk to your child about their favourite books and characters.

Offer choices to read.

Read to kids and with them every day.

Expand your library with magazines and non-fiction books.

Ask questions to make sure kids understand what they read.

Decide to raise a confident reader today!

An additional tip for developing reading skills in kids – let your child see you reading. Children do what they observe. So, set aside some time every day to read and encourage them to read one of their books while you read yours.

I hope this was helpful!

Author Bio: Samidha Raj works as part of the content marketing team at Planet Spark, a platform that provides online classes to K8 learners on "New Age Skills" like, English Communication, Public Speaking, Grammar, Creative Writing, Debating, etc. She is passionate about empowering the youth by educating parents about the importance of 21st-century skills. In her free time, you can find her watching documentaries or animated movies and organizing game nights (board games are her thing)!