Some children love reading from the first time they turn the pages of a book. However, some children don’t share that love and find reading to be more of a chore than an enjoyable pastime. Luckily, there are a few simple tricks you can use to make reading more appealing to your little one.
Appeal to their interests
Does your child love star gazing and exploring the universe? Perhaps they enjoy being taken to enchanted lands of fairies and magic kingdoms. Do they show interest in animals and our natural environment? Or maybe they are a budding chef who enjoys exploring new recipes. Whatever your child’s interests or hobbies may be, a great way to get them reading is by providing books that contain content that will appeal to their interests. Let’s face it, nobody likes sitting down to read about a topic that bores us and children are certainly no different.
Choose books that are suited to their reading capabilities
If your child is struggling with reading or struggling to enjoy reading, it may just be that the book chosen is too hard or too easy for them. Children are far more likely to finish reading a book if it is within their reading capability. A few things to consider are font size, page size, the difficulty of words and age-appropriate content.
Read together
Reading with your child not only provides many developmental benefits but is also a great time for bonding with your child, making reading something to look forward to rather than dread. Pick a book you both enjoy, settle in under the doona and take turns reading a page each. If your child is finding it difficult when it’s their turn, read a page to them first and then have them read it back to you.