Children need to learn good habits from an early age. Etiquette has to be taught, the difference between good and bad has to be taught. Everything children learn from parents and other family members. Similarly, children also learn the habit of reading story books by imitating adults. They will learn from what they see adults do. Those habits will master.
When children get used to reading books, new vocabulary is created in the mind along with entertainment. While reading a good book, its characters, setting-everything is presented in front of the brain like a movie. It increases imagination. So here are some tips for parents on how to enjoy reading with babies and toddlers. The first and best way to introduce children to books is to have fun reading together. When children make positive connections with books, they develop a better understanding of reading. Which later plays a helpful role in developing their habit of reading books.
Here are a few more ways to get your baby or toddler into the habit of reading in childhood:
Don’t worry if you don’t finish the story—young children can hold attention for a very short time. This attention span increases over time. Let your child decide how long he wants to read. And you don’t need to read every page.
You may notice that your child likes a page in a book or has a favorite picture. He may be on that page longer. Don’t worry about it. Because when you let your child read or be with the book he wants, his interest in reading books is multiplied and meaningful.
Talk to pictures or sing songs – there’s no such thing as telling a story you always have to read aloud. Try ‘reading’ or explaining the pictures in the book to your child. You can also sing while telling the story. When your child is old enough, ask him to explain the pictures.
Encourage children to turn the pages of books – Children at a young age cannot turn from one page of a book to the next on their own. But at 18 months they try to turn the pages of the book and by the age of 3 years – that’s when he learns to turn the pages on his own.
Show children the cover page of the book – Show them the cover page of the book and tell them what the story inside will be like. If your child is a little older, ask them to guess what the story might be.
Show children the words – as you read, place your finger over the letters and move them from left to right.
Bring the story to life – create different voices for the characters in the story. Make different gestures while telling the story, so that each character in the story comes alive.
Add personal experiences – Talk about your own family, pets or community while pretending to tell a story while reading a book.
Ask and question the story – Talk about the story during the conversation with your child. Talk about what you see in the pictures in the story or what you read in the story, during the conversation. Ask your child for feedback, questions about the story.
The bottom line is, children will learn best if they enjoy reading.
