3 Ways To Make Reading Fun

 3 Ways to Make Reading Fun

"Reading is boring!"

Have you ever heard your child say this before? Maybe that's how they feel about their reading experience so far, but it doesn't have to stay that way. Children are often discouraged from reading because it is viewed as a chore, and the experience is stressful and unpleasant. Reading has social advantages, such as making children relate better to the larger community. It also broadens a person's understanding of their own identity, fosters empathy, and provides insight into the worldviews of others (The Reading Agency 2015). Here are some ideas for making your child's reading experience more enjoyable and exciting: 

1. Pick Appropriate Books 

When teaching your little one to read, choose appropriate books. What do we mean by choosing appropriate books? Try to choose books that are well suited to your child’s age bracket, interests and reading level. Imagine being a six-year-old and having to read about machines and how they simplify our daily life, sounds a bit boring right? When trying to make reading a fun and exciting experience, it’s important to choose books that your child would enjoy. Find out what your child likes or even pay attention to their favourite toys and choose books based on those things. Consider being six years old and getting to read about trucks and race cars when your favourite toys are trucks and race cars. It makes reading more inviting and exciting, which is exactly what you want to achieve. Choose books with some familiar and also new words that are appropriate for their level. This ensures that they aren’t bored by the book or think it’s a book for babies, which some children see as a major turnoff when reading. Having books with pictures can also encourage your little one to continue reading. Some books may just have a list of words on the page which can seem overwhelming and boring to your child. The use of pictures can encourage them to read and learn what the book is about. Books that are too difficult to read or understand may actually do more harm than good. Some may think that it will inspire their little ones to learn the words and read the book when instead it can actually be intimidating and frustrating, resulting in them being discouraged from reading. Encouraging your little one to see, point and interact with the book while you read sparks interest and establishes a greater interest in the book. Children require books in which they can read the words as well as comprehend and interpret the significance. Selecting books at the appropriate reading level will assist your child in improving his/her literacy skills while learning to enjoy reading. 

2. Act It Out

Imagine being able to dress up as your favourite princess, superhero, or book character while you're reading, the smiles, excitement and eagerness to imitate their voices and even act out their actions. Encouraging your little ones to act out the story as they read not only improves their understanding of the material but also encourages them to continue reading. This can be done as pretend play or even dressing up using similar clothing. Have your child wear a towel as a cape or even a bedsheet as their princess dress and see their faces light up as they are ready to act out their favourite parts from the story. 

3. Create A Reading Nook 

Have an area designated for reading or even create a comfortable environment before reading. Maybe on the bed with comfy pillows or even cuddled up on the couch with a blanket. Having a comfortable and relaxing environment while reading helps to create a comfortable and enjoyable experience for your little one. This helps them to associate good emotions and experiences with reading and encourages their love for reading. 

Feel free to try any of these tips and let us know how they worked for your little one.