Following are the tips to be followed by parents to enhance reading habit among their children:

Explore your child’s area of interest and introduce him the related books in the beginning. This would
build his interest to read in while knowing more about the genre he is interested in.

Leave all sorts of reading materials including books, magazines, and colorful catalogs in conspicuous
places around your home. Books should be in the visibility and reachability of your child.

Scout what attracts your children’s attention, even if they only look at the pictures. Then build on
that interest; read a short selection aloud, or simply bring home more information on the same
subject.

Let your children see you reading for pleasure in your spare time. Share with them how much you
enjoy reading and benefits of reading.

Take your children to the library regularly. Explore the children’s section together.

Introduce reading as an activity with a purpose of reading. For example, a way to gather useful
information for making paper airplanes, planning a trip, instructions to bake cake.

Encourage older children to read to their younger brothers and sisters. Older children enjoy showing
off their skills to an admiring audience.

In some informal settings, share your reactions to things you read, and encourage your children to do
likewise.

Set aside a regular time for reading in your family, independent of schoolwork, the 20 minutes before
lights out, just after dinner, or whatever fits into your household schedule. As little as 10 minutes of
free reading a day can help improve your child’s skills and habits.

Encourage your child to read aloud to you an exciting passage in a book, interesting information in
the newspaper, or a joke in a joke book. When children read aloud, don’t feel they have to get every
word right. Its aright if they skip or mispronounce words now and then.

Read aloud to your child, especially a child who is discouraged by his or her own poor reading skills.
The pleasure of listening to you read, rather than struggling alone, may restore your child’s initial
enthusiasm for books and reading.

Assign a place for children to keep their own books. Ask them to make a good collection from their
areas of interest.

Acknowledge the child’s progress and success: Praise and prizes can go a long way in cultivating a
habit. So, when you are encouraging reading habits in children, you should also appreciate it when
they do complete reading a book. Reward them something they really like and they will certainly be
motivated to read more. As they grow up, they will stop needing this extra motivation or the extra
prize, because by now, they will already be used to reading so much.
Tell your children that they don’t have to finish a book in one sitting and they can stop after a few
pages, or a chapter, and pick up where you left off at another time. Introduce some interesting
bookmark.

Don’t try to persuade to finish a book he or she doesn’t like.

Extend your child’s positive reading experiences. For example, if your youngster enjoyed a book
about an animal in a zoo, follow up with a visit to Zoo.

Offer special incentives to encourage reading. Allow your youngster to stay up an extra 15 minutes to
finish a chapter; promise to take your child to see a movie after he or she has finished the book on
which it was based.

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Parents should also keep in mind that it is necessary to realize that each child is different and the
amount they can read and the kind of books they can read will deviate. If any sign of reading
disability displayed by the child, it is recommended to support their child and take an expert advice.

Tags: Children Parent