June 19, the death anniversary of P. N. Panicker, the Father of the Library Movement in Kerala, has been observed as ‘Vayanadinam’ or Reading Day in Kerala since 1996. From 2017, June 19 is observed as the National Reading Day in India.
It is an occasion to celebrate reading, books and associated activities and to instill the importance of reading in the young generation. On this occasion of National Reading Day let us share some thoughts related to children and reading that will help parents to find insights into the importance of reading in children and how they can improve reading skills in children.
The importance of reading in Children
“A well-composed book is a magic carpet on which we are wafted to a world that we cannot enter in any other way.” – Caroline Gordon, an American novelist & literary critic, who was the recipient of two prestigious literary awards, the Guggenheim Fellowship in 1932 and O. Henry Award in 1934.
Reading is an important skill that children should acquire, as it can positively influence their performance, imagination and overall development in their life. As Frederick Douglass, the great African-American social reformer and writer observed, “Once you learn to read, you will be forever free. “; once mastered, reading can open doors of imagination and new worlds for a child and can be an asset in each step of his development. And reading has health benefits too!
Reading can reduce stress & allows one to relax
One of the major health benefits of a positive reading habit is its ability to reduce stress in the reader. Both young and adult readers can gain immensely from reading, as it can ease mental strain and induces relaxation. The imaginative world that opens in front of a reader, while immersed in a book, can magically wipe out worries, tensions and stress.
Reading can sharpen a child’s brain & improve memory
Reading can help your child’s brain to get enough exercise. Reading provides enough mental stimulation for the brain, which will help it to be more active and sharp. It also improves the memory and attention span in the reader and enhances the powers of imagination.
Reading Improves concentration
Reading allows the mind to stay focused and it can improve concentration in both young and adult readers. Reading helps the reader to organize their thoughts and engage them in a streamlined manner.
Reading improves sleeping
Reading is a perfect solution to organize and calm one’s mind before sleeping. Reading before sleeping allows the mind and body to relax and can result in peaceful sleeping.
Reading improves life skills and promotes compassion
Getting immersed in a variety of books can help your child to develop an open mind, a curiosity towards learning, acceptance of different opinions and better understanding of other people. It prepares a child’s mind to be empathetic towards differing opinions in life and always maintain a positive outlook towards life. It also teaches young minds about life lessons and to motivate themselves in meeting life with more confidence.
Reading improves communication skills
Apart from providing knowledge, reading can also improve the communication skills in a young reader. Reading helps readers in increasing their vocabulary and developing their verbal skills.
How parents can help in improving the reading habits in children
”There are many little ways to enlarge your child’s world. Love of books is the best of all.” – Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis.
Lets discuss some of the ways in which parents can give a boost to the reading habit in their kids and teach them to love books right from a very young age.
Start Early & Read to them
Reading together with your child and reading aloud to your child are great ways in which a parent can share the message of the fun associated with reading to a kid. And the most amazing thing about reading to your children is the fact that you can start this at a very early stage, even while your kid is a newborn baby.
According to children’s author Emilie Buchwald, “Children are made readers on the laps of their parents.”. Reading together with your kid also strengthens the bond between you two and also improves reading and communication skills in the child. Instead of making reading a routine chore, the read-along sessions with their parents, make reading a fun filled activity for children.
Make reading an enjoyable experience
Most kids hate reading because it feels like a chore to them. From early stages, parents can help in making reading sessions enjoyable by converting them into interactive, fun-filled activities. Encourage your child to use their imagination and narrate stories to you based on books that they read. Having family discussions and games based on the books that they read and even watching movie adaptations of books together will help your children in making reading enjoyable and will create better bonding sessions with in your family.
Inspire them to read by picking up reading yourself
Children observe everything with a keen eye. They can get influenced by habits and mannerisms that they observe in their parents. By seeing a parent reading and enjoying a book, a child can catch the excitement and learn the values of reading. Let your child see you read as much as possible – be it a book, newspaper or any other reading material – and it can create impressions in him about reading as an activity that can be enjoyed.
Tips in assisting them with their reading choices
It is not a good idea to force your own reading selections on your kid as it can negatively affect their reading habits and can make them feel reading as a boring activity. It is always recommended to identify your child’s interests and then gently assist them in finding good reading materials that match their reading interests.
“Any book that helps a child to form a habit of reading, to make reading one of his needs, is good for him.“. The words of American civil rights activist and poet Maya Angelou can be taken as a key here. Introduce them to a selection of books suitable for his age group and let your child pick the one that he is interested in. Look for the books that ignite their curiosity and makes reading a pleasure for them and help them in finding similar books.
Visit libraries with your kids
You can help your kids in exploring and discovering a whole world of new books and authors by making family trips to libraries and book fairs. A library is a great place to see and explore a wide selection of books associated with a range of topics. When children start to interact with the wide choice of library books on a regular basis it will help them in identifying the extensive possibilities of reading and watching other children enjoying books at a library can motivate them.
Make special reading zones at home
A special, comfort zone dedicated to reading – be it a favorite chair, a comfortable bean bag, a comfy corner of your home, or even an outdoor garden bench – will help your children in identifying and associating reading with relaxation and comfort. A reading zone can be created from any place in your home with comfortable seating, fresh air and good lighting.
Apart from these points, having constant interaction with your children regarding the books that they read can also improve their reading experience and reading habits. Conducting healthy discussions on the books that they read, involving the whole family, can improve their communication skills and expand their thinking capability.
