Fostering a Love of Reading in Your Children

This is a guest post from reader Christy.

From the time my first child was born, I hoped she would learn to love books and reading as much as I did. Though now she’s just shy of three years old, and my son is only 20 months, they absolutely love to be read to and treat books as prized possessions. I’d like to share a few things that have worked well for us in fostering a love of reading in our children.

Does it matter if my child loves to read or not?

If you are a bookworm like me, you probably don’t need an answer to this question.  Loving books when I was a little girl meant I was (and still am) NEVER bored.  As an adult, I actually get excited about being in a waiting room or on a long road trip, because it gives me time to read!

When you love books and love to read, you open yourself to many new worlds that might not be possible otherwise.  Reading fosters imagination, open-mindedness, and, of course, academic success. Interestingly, reading for pleasure is also strongly and positively correlated with things as diverse as civic and cultural participation, playing sports, employment, volunteer and charity activities, and even the likelihood of visiting a museum!

Ways to Cultivate a Love of Reading

Read to Them

This initially sounds like a big “duh,” but the reality is, even my husband and I, who are dedicated to reading regularly to our children, sometimes find ourselves at the end of a day not having read a single book to our kids! Modern lives are busy, so reading to your kids must be a deliberate priority. Having set times when you read to them (after a nap, just before bed, etc.) can help.  And start early in life. The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends that you begin reading to your child every day when he or she is only six months old!

Model the Behavior 

Another important thing is for your children to see YOU reading. My children are very young, so this can be difficult, but at least a few times a week, I make sure my kids see me sitting down, reading a book on the couch. If  (well, when) they interrupt me, I say, “Please wait a few minutes, I am reading my book. I will talk/play with you when I am done!”  They are starting to learn to respect Mommy’s “reading time” and sometimes my daughter will get out a few books of her own and sit down next to me to read.

Give Kids Their Own “Reading Corner”

Get your kids accustomed to seeing books around your home, especially in their play areas. Make a wide variety of books readily accessible to small children. We have a kid-sized bookshelf and toddler chair in our living room, and several times a day, I find my daughter sitting in her little chair “reading” a book.

Make Books Exciting

On the occasion that we buy a new book for our kids, we tell them, “We have a special treat for you!” and get them excited to get their “treat.” They are always thrilled to receive their new book, see the new pictures and find out what the story is about. Making a big deal of story time at bedtime is also helpful. Our children are allowed to choose two books for us to read to them before they sleep. This has become a special and important part of bedtime for both of them, and they look forward to it every night.

Choose Age-Appropriate Books

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