With a hyped-up toddler, reading time – nevermind bedtime – can quickly become a game of tug of war. Although your little cutie might prefer that, reading time plays a valuable role in your child’s development and intellectual growth. Not only should it be a creative, fun time for kids to explore their imaginations, but it should also be an opportunity for parents to dig into their child-like personalities.
If you get pushback from your child, it should never be the deciding factor on whether or not you’re going to explore new farm animal sounds. Perhaps your reading style just needs a little nudge? Here are some helpful tips to guide you on making reading time a fun and fulfilling experience for both of you.
Try new reading spots in the house
Bring back the excitement by switching reading places to somewhere new in the house. This is especially recommended when you’re trying new children’s books such as Afrikaans storybooks. If you want to, you can create a “theme” for each book’s story setting. For example, if it’s Christmas storybooks for children, you will want to bundle up next to the tree and create a festive atmosphere for your reading time. Or, if it’s an animal book, gather your kid’s plush toys to act out the scene.
Let your child make up their own story
Now, this is an interesting one! Be it with colouring books for children or wordless books; you should encourage your child to use their unique imagination and make up their own storyline. Of course, parents can assist with the story along the way, but oftentimes, when they have the authority to make up their own storyline, you will find them to be more focused and excited about reading time. Not to mention, during this time, you will also be improving your child’s vocabulary and sentence construction.
Start a family tradition over reading time
Usually, when it comes to reading time, it’s unlikely that both parents are present in the room. As much as children would prefer that, it’s not always possible in today’s day and age. So, in saying that, it’s recommended that you suggest a family day that you start a reading tradition on. This could be a Sunday evening or a mid-week treat; encouraging your family to come together as one and read together. Everyone can take turns, making each reading session something new to look forward to.
Bring storybook experiences to life
One way to help your child remember what you’ve read about is to bring it to life. Be it a funny biscuit, porridge or dessert designs; there are many ways to incorporate children’s books into their lives. This is a perfect way to bond with your little one and create an additional activity out of reading time. Always bring book elements into real-life situations to remind your children about what they’ve learned.
Take reading to a new location
Looking for a new environment to teach your child? Start taking your reading sessions outside.
And by outside, we don’t just mean to an open park. If you’ve read about a certain experience, for example, a museum, activity park, movie theatre or more, take your child to the location in real-life. This is highly recommended for educational books, as it leads to continued learning. And not to mention, it’s simply an interesting way to bring new scenery into your reading process.
Final thoughts
Let your child choose, and go with the flow. If you’d like to take a break and pull out your favourite colouring books for children, do so. There does not need to be a set schedule for reading time; it all depends on how children feel. Over time, you will get to know more about what your child likes and what needs to change. Visit The Crazy Store to stock up on the best reading books for children.