Be kind. Encourage compassion. Inspire creativity. Nurture courage. Grow your mind.
Reading ignites creativity, sparks curiosity, stimulates the imagination and inspires learning in young children. In a fast-paced digital world, it can be difficult to nurture a healthy habit of reading in our kids. Cultivating a love for reading requires intentionality. Check out these tips for instilling a lifelong love of reading in your children or students:
Reading aloud to your kids consistently is one of the best ways to enhance their literacy skills. Beyond increasing their enjoyment of reading, read-aloud sessions are proven to promote cognitive and emotional development! Taking just 10 minutes out of every morning or night to read aloud to your children can also be a great bonding experience.
Keep a strong collection of books for your kids that fit their reading level somewhere comfortable and relaxing in the home. One easy tip is to simply make books as visible and accessible as toys!
Finding creative ways to praise and reward beginner readers can easily help a child associate reading with positive experiences! Summer is a great time to start a regular reading routine. Set a scheduled time each day of the summer for your kids to take a break from other activities to relax and enjoy a good book, alone or with an adult (for those that need support).
Be a good role model by reading in front of your kids. Showing your kids that you enjoy reading will make them want to read themselves.
Making regular visits to a local library or bookstore helps get kids excited about reading. Many libraries host story time on a regular basis, which is a great activity for all ages! Before you know it, they will begin to pick out books all by themselves!
We hope these tips are helpful for raising a young reader! For more ideas of how to teach kids about kindness, compassion and curiosity, follow Curious B.E.I.N.G.s on Facebook and Instagram and subscribe to the Curious B.E.I.N.G.s newsletter.
