Seven ways to interest your child in reading

1. Children must catch the habit of reading.

Reading is not taught, it is caught. It is a habit. Your child needs to catch it. Children observe adults around them and catch many habits, good and bad from them. If the adult members in the family are in the habit of reading, children will begin to copy it early in life. So, make sure that everyone in the family reads. Your child must see everyone else at home reading.

2. Choose texts that interest your child.

Reading interests vary from child to child. Do not assume that all children like stories. Some may like factual texts. Give them a variety. Observe what interests them. Give them more of such texts. Children, like adults, love to read what they like to read. Do not force anything on them.

3. Choose texts appropriate to their level of reading.

Reading level varies from child to child. It has no direct relation to their age. The reading level of a child of 10 years may sometimes be as low as that of a child of 6 years. Or, it may be higher too. If a child struggles to understand a text suggested for his age, give them something simpler. Complex texts can put them off very easily.(More about how to choose the right texts later.)

4. Read to your child.

To develop interest in books, read books to children from their early days. One story or one text a day can make a big difference to their life.

5. Encourage your child to join in, in your reading.

If your child listens to the same story a few times, a time comes when they recognise words and they want to read them. Encourage them to join in.

6. Engage your child in reading.

Encourage your child to ask questions about the text. If they want to react to the text, let them. Those are good signs of the child enjoying reading.

7. Introduce them to interesting texts.

Many children don’t know what to read. You as a parent can play a vital role in helping your child to choose what to read. You may first read a book and tell the child about the book. Only a lit candle can light another candle. Create interest in it but don’t tell everything about it. Leave it to them to read and find out. (More about how to introduce children to interesting texts in another issue.)