4 Sure Shot Ways to Bring Kids Closer to Books.
Flashback to my most precious memories from my growing up years — is me lying on the bed and my mom reading a book out loud for me. I distinctly remember I was down with chickenpox, all the mirrors at home were blocked with bedsheets and Amma used to spend a lot of time (away from the kitchen) and read books for me.
A few years later, again some priceless memories from how I used to spend hours sitting on the swing in the garden immersed in the imagination of solving a mystery with the Famous Five and Secret Seven series of Enid Blyton books. Even now when I close my eyes, I can picture those characters so distinctly.
And then there was the ‘Harry Potter phase’ where I skipped meals only because I did not want to put the book down. The world of magic & muggles kept me blissfully away from reality.
Fast forward many many more years and it has become hard to pin on such strong memories with books. Life got in the way and from choosing books I love, it went to finishing textbooks that I had to, reading borrowed books that were highly recommended, and looking for something meaningful between pages.
With reading being an important part of my childhood memories, I always wanted my little baby to be inclined towards books. Any books. Fortunately, I came across something interesting in a book titled ‘The Children of Tomorrow’ by Om Swami, that taught me a good lesson -
If you want your kids to do something, they will most probably not.
So in these cases, the best way is to let them stumble upon these ‘important’ things and build their own curiosity to be involved in it. This is true in the case of food, art, sports, music, and everything. Even Books.
So this article (the first of many around books) has some simple tips on how to bring little kids closer to books without any sort of force, but conscious involvement only.
P.S. — Most parents do not need these tips. But sometimes, it's nice to call out something that worked for you in the hope that someone out there may find it useful.
Start Early
It’s amazing how many people (maybe including me) thought reading a book for a 1.5-month-old was a crazy idea when all that the baby wants to do is eat or sleep. But that’s what we think. Exposing babies to books early makes their ‘open-eye time’ interesting & fun for them (and for us).
Tip — Choose from high-contrast books or touch & feel books with bold & bright colors to start with 💚
Make It Accessible
Books though not intended, are usually out of reach for kids. They are kept on tall bookshelves, inside boxes, and in cupboards. This gives kids (and yes sometimes adults) the idea that they are not accessible now. Change that. Keep books on a floor stool, on your bed-rest, by your bedside, with toys, anywhere where kids can pick and choose them just like anything else. And don’t worry too much if your kid is going to spoil the book, let her flip through the pages even if it means more bends & tears.
Tip — You can opt to buy board books — which are easier to flip & not tear too. 💛
Spice It Up
When you visit the kid’s section of a bookstore, you want to buy almost everything you see (that’s true for me at least!) Sometimes the same story is available in different versions, with different illustrations — and all of them are so cute! Perhaps, there is a reason why that is. Because as people we like variety (wish someone told people designing our textbooks that! ) So, if you want your kid to enjoy reading, don’t insist on reading that one book till its read cover to cover, instead throw in variety and see how your child will want to come back to the book more often.
Tip — Borrow books from other kids, buy second-hand books, and get a library membership rather than investing in brand-new ones always. 💜
Encourage Repeat Reading
If you keenly observe, every time you read something you end up focusing on something different or finding a new perspective. And with kids this is even more prominent, a story offers so much — characters, situations, emotions, possibilities, and the uninhibited imagination. So when a kid wants to read the same book over and over again, don’t be surprised.
They don’t get bored, until you introduce that word in their dictionary!
Tip: Be patient, get creative, and find fun ways to engage with the same book. Try different voices, ask the little one to complete the story, talk about the lives of the characters, and more! 💙
Include Books as Gifts for Occasions
Gifting books has always been a great idea. And if you start pairing it with occasions, it just makes them more valuable for kids. We got Yajur different books — that are apt for occasions like his Birthday, his first walk, his first trip abroad, a train journey when he was being potty trained, festivals and so much more. He now associates these books with these special events in his life and they bring back fun memories for him and all of us too!
Tip: Make a wishlist of books that can be introduced at different situations and buy/bring them out at the apt time and talk about why that book makes sense then. 🤎
As the kids grow older, you can find more innovative ways to keep books part of their life. I found this tweet so apt and had to share!
We pay my oldest $1 every time he reads a book. We’re talking 160-page chapter books. 😂
I’m out $120 this year and he thinks he’s ripping me off. Best investment ever.
- David Woodland 🌴 (@DavidSven) July 17, 2020
I would love for you to get copies of books I have authored and hear back if you and your little reader enjoyed them. Get Amma’s WFH Buddy here and Hairdresser in a Hairless Town here. 🙏🏻
Originally published at https://yajurchronicles.com
