Building a good reading habit during early childhood is a critical aspect of long-term reading success. Kids that have been ingrained with a book / reading routine in the preschool years develop excellent language and critical thinking skills that can be utilized all throughout their academic careers. At this age though, it’s important to not let the pressure of reading overshadow the joy of diving into a good book. Parents should not try to reinforce lessons or obsess over fundamentals, but instead use the time as a way to relax and interact with their child.
Our early education preschool educators have put together a great list of tips parents can use to encourage their younger children to become readers for life.
- Visit Your Library. There is truly no right age to start going to the library. The earlier the better. Establish a routine that your child can look forward to and use the trip as an “adventure” to find an exciting new book they can enjoy at bedtime.
- Model a Love of Reading. All children take cues from adults, so when your child sees you taking joy in reading, they are likely to want to follow suit. Share your excitement of the book your reading with them. Point out things that remind you of the story and let them see the joy that books bring to you. Encourage them to talk about their favorite books and stories, too.
- Let Them Choose Their Own Books. It can be common to want to choose books for your child to read based on what you loved as a child or what you saw in the most recent parenting magazine, but preschoolers who have chosen something they like will be more motivated to engage with the book than one chosen for them.
- Keep Books Everywhere! The important thing to remember is to keep books where kids can reach them. Don’t just stash them on shelves! Create a basket in the living room of stories that reflect the current season or holiday. Find out some things that currently interest your child and find books that cover the topic to keep in your car or on their bed. They even make waterproof books for the bath!The best tip we can give is to help reinforce the notion that reading is a big part of everyday life. Visit bookstores during vacations. Make trips to the library a scheduled activity. Take interest in stories and topics they enjoy! If you would like to find out more about how reading plays an important role in a successful preschool program, contact our early childhood educators today.