Reading was a habit every family had before the advent of the digital age. Parents and grandparents instilled a love of reading in their kids. It served as a vehicle for children to learn about and comprehend their surroundings. Many kids have forgotten books as the years have passed and the electronic age has arrived. Today, hardly any household practises reading quality literature, expanding their vocabulary, or learning about the world around them.

Reading books help children encourage imagination, creativity, and critical thinking, it aids in the development of crucial reading skills. And from a very young age, parents and other carers can foster it.

Storytime is a crucial component of parenting and an excellent method to strengthen relationships. Children engage more deeply and are more inclined to seek out reading experiences on their own when reading experiences are shared with someone they enjoy being with and the focus is something they are interested in.

Here are 5 ways in which parents can help their children instil reading habits:

1. Allow the child to choose their own books:

Parents should allow kids to choose their own favourite books, this thus creates a sense of excitement and anticipation to read more books but parents should check the kind of books children read appropriate to their age.

2. Make it a part of everyday routine:

In this digital era, children devote more time to using electronic gadgets rather than engaging in fun activities. Parents thus should establish a regular reading routine before bedtime or after waking up. Even visiting local library engage children.

3. Reading together with children

Reading together can be a bonding experience that helps build a child’s confidence and reading skills. Whether you take turns reading pages or acting out the story, reading together can be a fun and interactive experience.

4. Be a reading role model:

As children grow, they imitate what their parents do, so if parents also inculcate reading habits in their life, children too will be encouraged to read more books. They will more likely develop their own love of reading.

5. Make it fun:

Use different voices for characters, pauses, songs, or other dramatics to make the story come to life. Reading with flair will help children better understand the story. It also provides a good model of expressive and fluent reading for kids who have begun reading by themselves.

Developing a love of reading in kids is essential for their academic and psychological development. Making reading enjoyable and exciting can ignite a passion for learning that lasts a lifetime. Children can benefit from having access to a variety of books and from parents and carers prioritising reading. Fostering a love of reading is an investment in a child’s future as a lifelong learner.

Child Help Foundation along with Filaantro has been immensely supporting children in their education through crowdfunding and various events. We aim to help all those children who don’t have the privilege of education because of their health issues. Our motive is - SWASTHA SE SHIKSHA TAK (HEALTH TO EDUCATION)