Tips to Develop Good Reading Habits in Children

Reading habit is the best habit which you can help your child imbibe. 

It is very important to encourage reading in children as this habit can help them perform well in their academics as well as it will help them from a career point of view. 
Read on to find some helpful tips for helping child to imbibe reading habit.

Read Yourself 

When your children see you reading to gather information, knowledge on a regular basis they too will emulate these habits and start reading themselves. Our children pick up most of their habits from us and it is therefore very important as parents to be careful to inculcate positive attitude towards important habits such as reading, literacy and acquiring knowledge.

Begin with fun and simple reads

Get your kids to start reading with a simple and easy-to-understand book that she will enjoy. Preferably a small book, that won’t take too long to read and will keep the kid engaged.

Relate plots to real life

If you’re reading a book about Suzie going to the grocery store, engage your child in conversation about a time she came to the grocery store with you. Ask open-ended questions (who, what, where, and why) to children age 3 and older to open a dialogue of storytelling.
 Relating a book’s plot to a real-life situation your child has experienced helps her better remember the book and vocabulary words.

Read each night

Reading books together as part of a child’s night-time routine will ensure that children associate reading with relaxation.  
Children can also point out any words they are familiar with and read them out.

For those children who have not yet begun reading, asking questions about the story such as ‘What do you think is going to happen next?’ will help them familiarize themselves with story structures

Focus on one sentence at a time

For many students, seeing too many words on the page becomes distracting, causing your child to lose his or her place. 
An index card or blank piece of paper can be used to cover everything except the sentence that your child is reading. 
When they finish a line, move the card down and repeat the process. 

Create a cozy reading environment

Choose a comfy couch or chair where you and your children can cuddle, have decent light, and turn off the television and other distractions.

keep a good dictionary near by, especially one designed for children. You know, when you have Mommy brain!

Gift your child with his/her own reading nook

Let your child have his/her own bookshelf and fill them with books that he/she will enjoy reading.

Providing as many books as possible on the topics that interest your child is a great way to ignite his/her passion for reading.

Give incentives and rewards for reading

Incentives are another effective way to get your child to form a healthy reading habit. Little kids and older kids love to be acknowledged for their efforts.

For starters, try giving out gold stars, stickers or anything that your child will be proud to receive as a reward for reading.

Do not allow your kids to watch television until they have done their daily reading.

As your child becomes a better reader, talk about what he/she is reading. When your child finishes a new story or reading assignment, discuss the main ideas, new words and concepts, and your child's favorite section. This will help strengthen your child's reading comprehension skills.