In this day and age, it’s more common to see a young child with their eyes glued to a phone screen than with their noses buried in a book. It’s a sign of the times as they say.
Bookworms are a dying breed, and while this may come as no surprise, technology is partly to blame. The world as we know it revolves around instant gratification.
Our source of pleasure has boiled down to clicks and taps. As children of the digital age grow up, they may find it more difficult to derive joy from the slow burn of reading a book.
Preferring instead the short-lived pyrotechnics of social media. Of course it’s not fair to blame the death of leisure reading on the internet alone.
When it comes down to it, upbringing plays a much bigger role in instilling habits. Smartphones and other devices are simply the scapegoats used to excuse bad parenting.
Digital issues aside, there are plenty of benefits in raising a bookworm.
Benefits of Reading for Children
There are countless benefits to being a bookworm. If you start out loving books at an early age, you may have developed a love of writing as well as an adult. It’s only natural.
Books are also a treasure trove of vocabulary. People who read expansively accumulate a much larger library of words than their peers. Depending on what they read, their general knowledge may expand as well.
The perks don’t stop there. Despite merely being but an arrangement of black letters on white pages, books conjure vivid worlds in your mind’s eye.
They help foster imagination just as much as they improve language. So if you want your child to have these qualities keep reading. Here are 5 ways to raise a bookworm.
Walk the Talk
Children imitate their parents; it is simply a rite of passage. Some do it as young as 1 year old, others much earlier. If you want to raise a bookworm you need to be a bookworm yourself.
It’s not a prerequisite but it does help. Some exceptional children become bookworms all of their own volition without any parental intervention at all.
But if you’re actively trying to get your kids to love reading, you need to play the part. Let them catch you reading at different times of the day.
If you’re down for it, read simple, “safe” books that your child can understand. That way if they’re asking what you’re reading, you won’t hide it under your pillow in embarrassment.
There’s no shame in shopping under the “Romance” aisle, but best to keep those books at arm’s length when it comes to young kids.
Start ‘em Young
Another way to raise an avid reader is to start from the cradle. Read them stories even if they don’t quite understand what you’re saying.
As they grow up you can get them to read with you. This has the added benefit of helping your child get ahead when they eventually enter schooling age.
If you’re wondering what kind of books to get your little started on their reading journey, here are a few suggestions.
Start with picture books
It’s generally a good idea to start off with picture books, or books with lots of illustrations. These can either be storybooks or general knowledge books like science, plants, animals, space, etc.
Children rarely respond well to walls of text, so a brightly illustrated book will give them a basis for their imagination.
Think of picture books as foundational material as well as an attention-grabber. Bright and vivid shapes and colours will hold their interest longer than just a book full of words.
Long enough for them to read the facts and other information written in the corresponding paragraphs or captions.
Expand their Horizons
When your child is old enough to start reading on their own, introduce them to different genres.
It’s normal for children to stick to fairy tales and fantasy for the better part of their childhood.
But overtime it’s good to help them explore other genres like mystery, sci-fi and even historical fiction.
They may choose to do this on their own so you may not need to intervene at all.
Take Them to Bookshops
Children’s exposure to books usually start out with what their parents or other people buy for them.
Their options are limited in this respect. Bookstores are a great place to get them to explore different kinds of books. With hundreds of titles to choose from, they’ll be spoiled for choice.
Of course, conventional bookstores tend to charge quite the penny for internationally published books. So you may not have the luxury of taking your young one book-shopping every week.
Fortunately, there’s the annual Big Bad Wolf book sale that makes its nationwide tour every year. So be sure to save the date for that when it comes.
Get Them a Library Card
Besides bookstores, another good way to help expand your child’s reading genre if you’re on a budget is to take them to the library.
While you’re at it, get them a library card too. The library has as many options as the bookstore if not more.
With bookstores, titles come and go depending on their popularity. Libraries on the other hand tend to retain a majority their volumes, even those that are out of print.
Raising a Reader, One Page at a Time
You won’t raise a bookworm overnight. These things require patience and perseverance.
Therefore, it’s naturally easier if you’re already a bookworm yourself. But when you finally get the ball rolling, it will be so rewarding for both you and your child. Books can teach you a lot about life. Joy, sadness, love, hate.
They teach you about human nature, society, philosophy, and even real-life phenomena. Some say the world is filled with stories. But as a bookworm myself, stories are simply a different way of looking at the world.
Books offer a glimpse into worlds that your child would not have otherwise been able to experience. And I think that is a gift that they will truly cherish for all time.
Disclaimer: The information provided in this article is for informational purposes only and should not be considered as medical advice from Motherhood. For any health-related concerns, it is advisable to consult with a qualified healthcare professional or medical practitioner.
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