Tips to Develop Good Reading Habits

Reading is an extremely beneficial habit to cultivate from young, with multiple benefits like building a better English foundation, develop creativity and imagination, strengthening patience and attention span, and more.

However, not all children are naturally drawn to books. Some need more nudging and enouragement that others. Coupled with the many distractions from television, internet and mobile apps, it can be quite challenging to foster the right conditions to develop this habit in preschoolers and young children.

There are some simple steps that we encourage parents to try out:

#1 – Avoid/Control the time spent on passive screen time

The key here is passive. Educational apps and TV programmes are also consumed on screen, but these activities actively engage the child's senses and help them develop in certain areas. Such active screen time shouldn't be lumped together with passive consumption like YouTube autoplay, scrolling through mobile apps/feeds, binge watching cartoons. At a young age, avoiding passive screen time means more time can be spent on activities with higher value, like reading or reading-related activities.

#2 – Set up moments for reading

Moments for reading can be anything like:

• setting up a small space dedicated to reading, like a shelf with books,
• taking a trip to the library,
• talking about an interesting book you've heard or read about,
• setting aside a fixed time every day for reading, etc

As you can see, it doesn't have to be the actual act of reading. Just the preparation and doing something related to reading and books can help coax uninterested kids. You may not be an avid reader yourself, but just sharing something you read in the past may interest them to find out more.

#3 – Read in front of your child

Anything - newspapers, magazine, Kindle. Leading by example is one of the best ways to influence your child to do something similar. If possible, encourage a read-together night. You could sit your child down and read them books, or, if they're old enough, both you and your child can be reading your own books together. Either way, this shared time can help in building bonds with your child!

#4 – Hold story-telling or sharing sessions

After completing a book, parents can encourage their child to recount the stories and share their thoughts. This can strengthen the knowledge gained from books in child’s mind as they tell the stories. Moreover, they can learn to be more confident in speaking.

The benefits of reading are truly numerous especially for the young. With your support, we hope they can embrace reading as a life-long passion!

Related to: English  For Parents  For Students  Preschool  Primary  Study Tips