10 Tips for Turning Children into Lifelong Readers

Children who love to read develop strong vocabularies and creative imaginations. They also do better in school and they have a lifelong source of pleasure. Parents, Grandparents, Older Friends and Neighbors can help children to become lifelong readers.

Most of the methods listed below do not require "extra time". They require a different use of the time you already spend with a child. If you try some of these ideas, start with one or two. See how your child responds. Some children like things right away; others take a little longer. You will know when it is time to move on or time to add another activity to encourage the reading habit.

Most of all, have fun! When you share reading with a child, you have the opportunity to be young again. Even for a short time you can share a youthful pleasure in words and reading. Most children's books are very well written and are a joy to read - even as an adult.

Part I - Learning to love stories and to value reading.

1. Read to your child. Every day or, if you do not see the child each day, during every visit, read aloud to the child you love. Reading before bedtime is a traditional way to end the day. Ten minutes of reading at the end of the day brings a sense of calm and focus. It also establishes a positive relationship between the two of you. One of the great gifts you can give a child is 7-10 minutes of reading time before "lights out".

But bed time is not the only time for reading. You can read any time the two of you wait for something. You can read aloud while riding on public transportation, in your doctor's waiting room, at the laundromat or while waiting for the school bus.

If you are not the child's custodial parent, you can set a special time for reading whenever the child visits you. If you are doing the visiting, take some time to read during your visit. Children are quite content with a "short read". All you need are a book, a bit of time and a desire to help. Remember 10 minutes can make a difference in a child's life.

How to get started: Some parents who do not want to read every night start off by reading few nights just before bed. Then one night they say, "I will read to you tomorrow morning if we can all be ready by 7:20 instead of 7:30" or "if supper can be cleared away by such and such a time". It is amazing how a promise of a story can inspire a child to be ready on time.

If your child is older, you may not want to start with pre-bedtime reading. You can take some time on a weekend to start your reading program by saying, " I want to try something special today." Then get out your Aesop's Fables or book of folk tales and read one. If it is very short, like Aesop, reread it so the rhythm of the sentences and words are felt.

Parents can ask Grandparents, Aunts, Uncles and others to include some reading time in each visit.Ý The child will long remember the time spent reading together as very special...and so will you.

What to read? You can start with short things. Nursery Rhymes for the very young and Aesop's fables for older children. These are only 1 page long. If your child already likes stories, start with something longer. The librarian in the children's section of your library or a children's book seller can offer suggestions.

As you read, let your voice show emotion and change your tone for different speakers in a story. Children like repetition so they may want the same piece a few reading times in a row. Eventually a child may anticipate the words that will come next. Praise this. It is a step towards reading readiness.

You can be a "book person" in a child's life. If your child is older - introduce reading aloud as something "grown up" that was done in olden days [19th century]. Do not force the child to pay attention. Better to say, you do not have to listen, just be quiet while I read aloud. Again, start with short pieces - folk tales, mythology, etc. Your local children's librarian will be glad to help you pick something out. Those who are read to as children grow to appreciate books and love reading.

2. Take your child to the library. Go with your child. Explain that it is a quiet, reading place where people come to find books. Let your child pick out 1 or 2 books. Never say, "Oh, that book is no good or too old for you." Let the child pick whatever s/he wants. You choose some books too. If a book is not suitable, the child will get bored with it and ask you to read one of the others.

If your child is already reading, go to the library with him or her the first few times. Allow your child to pick out his own books. If you are picking out some too, remember that children should read below their normal reading level when reading for pleasure. If a child's teacher says she is reading at 3rd grade level, then 2nd grade level is the correct level for books you select for her to read on her own. Sometimes you can find the reading level of a book by looking at the copyright page [the back of the title page]. Again, most children's librarians are very willing to offer advice about a "good book to read". If you want your child to become a life long reader, remember that reading on one's own should not be a struggle. Easy reading makes for success and children grow to love the things at which they succeed.

When your child is able, let him/her take out a library card. Getting a library card of one's own is an important occasion. It is a step in "growing up".

3. Take the child to "Story Hour". Many libraries and some communities have "Story Hour", a time when an adult reads to groups of children - letting them see the pictures on each page after it is read. If there is not story hour in your neighborhood, maybe you could start one.

4. Give books as gifts. To own a book is a wonderful thing. If you are not sure what to give, ask the children's librarian for some suggestions or find a book store that specializes in children's books and ask for advice. Not every book given as a gift needs to be NEW. There are many web sites where you can buy slightly used books in very good condition for reasonable prices. Some sites, like ChooseBooks.com http://www.choosebooks.com list dealers by Specialty. This allows you to get advice from those who specialize in children's books on-line. You do not have to travel to a store.

5. Consider giving a magazine subscription as a gift. There are magazines such as Highlights for little children and there are many magazines for older children. Remember a child will read a magazine on a topic of interest. A child who does not like to read but who loves baseball will read a baseball magazine - especially if an adult shares some of it. A magazine not only provides reading material, it is mail!! And getting mail is special for children.

Part II. Making the connection between the marks on a page that form words..... and meaning. This connection is essential for reading to flourish.

6. Put labels on things. Make signs and put them in appropriate places: Bed, Chair, Door, Maria's drawer, Tony's chair. If your child is under 7 or 8 years old, be sure to make the letters LARGE. 1 inch for little children. Their eyes can not adjust to small writing. Read the labels out loud each time you pass them. Encourage your child to read them. If you want a child to learn a 2nd language, put up 2 different labels - one in each language.

7. Write notes to your child. Short notes can be put in pockets or lunch boxes: " I love you." , " When you find this, I hope you smile.", etc. You can have some notes when the child comes to visit or when she comes home from school. If your child is younger than 3rd grade, be sure to letter or print the notes. Do not use script [regular handwriting].

Finding notes sets up a habit of anticipating words as tools of communication. Be sure that there is something pleasant in each note. If your child is older, you can leave jokes or funny stories or brief stories about family history. (When Granddad came home from the army.... or Aunt's first attempt at bike riding...) Keep the notes short.!!! It is better to divide a long story into 3 days of notes, than to do it all at once. Notes of 4 - 7 lines are more than enough for a pre-teenager.

8. Send letters. Use postal mail or e-mail. When a child is young someone else will need to read the letters aloud for the child. If that person shows the words they are reading, the child will associate those funny marks [letters] with meaning.

Consider allowing your child to answers letters. If your child is very young someone will have to print his words - BUT that will help make the association between letters and meaning. Some schools have "Write to a child by e-mail program" and senior citizens in nursing homes correspond with children via e-mail at a school account. Often those involved develop very special relationships and the children find a new purpose for reading and writing.

9. Read signs / play word games. If you bring your child shopping, take an extra moment to show the name on the label before you drop the food in the shopping cart. Read signs when you travel: store signs, street signs, STOP signs, exit names on a highway. Any time you can show that words have meaning, you are helping your child. Soon your child will be reading the signs and that is a great remedy for travel boredom.

If your child is older, play word games: scrabble, cross words etc. Look up a new word in a dictionary each day and try to see who can use it 5 times that day! Possibilities are endless.

10. Establish "reading time" as part of the child's experience with you. Let every day at home or every visit to your home include some short reading time. Give 5 or 10 minutes to reading aloud or sitting and reading quietly together. [If your child sees you read, he or she will want to read too!]

Some parents report great success with telling a child that if he is ready for bed 10 minutes early, he can leave her light on and read for 15 minutes. They say it is a great way to make bed time easy and reading treasured. If bed time is 8PM, tell your child that if he is ready by 7:50, he can leave the light on and read until 8:05. This time is for reading ONLY. No T.V.; no radio, no games. If he does not want to read, he should put the light out. But if he is ready for bed 10 minutes early, and he wants to read he can do so for 15 minutes.

What is lovely about working to make the child in your life a life long reader is that you will find your own life enriched. You will read some children's books you may have missed. You will grow to love word games or finding new words. The child in your life will never forget the word and reading times you share - and neither will you.

"10 Tips for Turning Children into Lifelong Readers" was written by Kate Lindemann, PhD. This article is brought to you by ChooseBooks.com, found on the web at www.choosebooks.com. We are an easy to use, service oriented multidealer Internet book selling site that provides such "extra features" for readers and buyers. This article may be reproduced or linked to, as long as the complete article including this statement of authorship and sponsorship is included.