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Last Updated on August 21, 2021 by Marie Bautista
How do I make my child love books?
Some of my readers probably know that I am a total bookworm.
Which means I give books as gifts. I could probably be a virtual children’s book agency because I have collected tons of children’s books!
I am quite aware though that not a lot of kids love books.
I have been to my children’s school Christmas parties and I have seen how dejected a child would look like as he opens his gift – a book (which most probably came from my child lol) – and look enviously at another child who got a walking robot or a Nerf or a PS4 (Nope, they don’t give that as exchange gifts in grade school, but my son did wish he will get one. See, he did not ask for a book! He didn’t ask Santa either!
You can make your children love books, though.
I have a daughter who never ceased to include books in her Christmas list since she turned four and can write to Santa (She is also the daughter who would log those hard-bound Harry Potter books to school when she was seven and waited for her owl to come when she turned eleven)
Every year, there is the one special book that would steal the hearts and minds of all children and teens.
Harry Potter captured the imagination of countless children and adults.
The Diary of a Wimpy Kid paved the way for my little boy to start bugging me about getting him the book as well.
The Fault In Our Stars started Daughter 2 into a John Green book buying frenzy.
I also buy Filipino books like “Diary ng Panget” and “Bakit ‘Di Ka Crush ng Crush Mo” which are a rage among Filipino teens.
Make reading a priority.
Children are so wired up these days. Make it a rule for them to unwire for even just thirty minutes every night before going to bed. Let the older ones grab books they would love to read (believe me, once they get that perfect book, they would never put that book down).
Read to your younger one. Or you can let him read to you!
I sometimes ask my son to read to me when I am tired. He would look at the pictures and come up with amazing tales! This special reading / bonding times will foster reading love!
Set up a reading space.
Set up a comfortable reading space. This will remind your children that even if you have a busy home, there is always a space where they
can hang out and read a book.<
Make reading fun.
Some kids love action. Why don’t you turn reading time into stage performances? Make funny voices to suite book characters. You can
also ask them to dress up for the part.
Be a good role model.
There is no sense bugging your children to read if you don’t. Let your child see you read!
I really find storytelling beneficial to kids, it nurtures their imagination and its makes parents and kids to be closer to each other.