Reading, we all know, has many benefits for children: it improves their vocabulary, develops their ability to communicate, increases their ability to concentrate, stimulates their memory and develops their imagination.
How do we make the little ones friends with the books? First of all, we need to pay attention and time since they are babies because familiarization with books must start from a very young age. First we flip through the books specially designed for babies together, then as the children grow and the ability to concentrate is greater, we start reading them stories every day. The important thing, as per one of the best schools near Garia, is to choose the right books for them, without complicated texts, and to encourage them to read by following each word with their fingers.
In our experience at one of the best schools in south Kolkata, children will more easily choose the right path in life if they are always surrounded by books, looking for answers and ideas with the help of reading. On the other hand, most of the time, they associate reading with the obligation of homework at school and therefore do not associate reading with a pleasant activity. To support them to acquire this habit with real benefits in the development of imagination, general culture and vocabulary, you, as a parent, must try to instil in your child a love of reading by reading in the family.
Benefits of reading for children
Reading stimulates language development. When children are read aloud, they become familiar with the form and rhythm of reading and begin to make associations between the objects in the images and the words that describe them. Teachers from one of the best schools near Garia noticed that when parents read to them, they tend to use more short sentences and repetitions than in other current activities, which supports language processing and acquisition. By reading, children are exposed to more words and develop their vocabulary and knowledge about the world. Through the books they read, children have access to numerous topics and ideas, thus building the basis of their understanding of the world in which they live.
Reading familiarizes children with concepts such as numbers, letters, shapes, colours in a fun way, then, as they grow, it helps them fix these notions.
Reading trains and develops a series of cognitive processes: memory, attention, imagination, creativity. In our experience at one of the best schools in south Kolkata,, children who were read to from a young age and who appreciate books are generally more motivated to learn to read on their own, but are also more cognitively prepared than those who have never been read to.
Reading stimulates the development of empathy. Children can put themselves in the shoes of the characters and imagine how they would feel or what they would do, looking at things from a different perspective than their own, as per the teachers of one of the renowned schools in Garia Kolkata.
Most children's books illustrate values and moral aspects and from each story, the little ones can learn something in this regard.
But what do we read to children, how do we choose books, how do we arouse their interest and curiosity, how do we show them how fascinating reading can be? It will be quite a long road, with many intersections, but a correct approach can turn the challenge of reading into a pleasant activity. What do the specialists from one of the renowned schools in Garia Kolkata recommend?
- Bring the book near the child
It is very important for the little one to have books around him, even if only visually, from the first years of life. Thus, their curiosity will be attracted, and when they grow up, they will not be mere objects, but real resources for imagination. Therefore, keep at least one volume on the bedside table, on the shelf in the living room or in the pocket of the back seat of the car.
- Be an example
Make it a habit to read around your child, whether you spend at least half an hour in the evening before going to bed to read a few pages of a book or flip through a newspaper in the morning. Thus, he will be able to trust the personal example of the closest people in his life: his parents.
- Read together
First of all, try to make reading a real habit – a daily tradition. In time, it will become something normal and eagerly awaited by everyone. Even if he is long past the bedtime story age, you can continue this habit as a fun family activity. For at least half an hour a day, make a special reading program in which all family members take turns reading various excerpts from books. You can also create a special decoration: from a colorful blanket and a few fluffy pillows you can create the most comfortable fort where only those who read enter.
Often, little ones do not retain or understand the action of a book, but continue reading despite this fact. A good method is to ask them if they can retell you in a few words what you have read. You can even pretend that you didn't understand anything or confuse the action of the story. It's a good idea to let them correct you and show you that they understand the story.
- Stage the stories
Read them a cute story in a more special way, with a special intonation or facial expression, and the little one will discover how fun books can be, if you bring them to life. In addition, you can challenge him to draw the characters or objects he hears described in the story, as he imagines them.
- Go to bookstores
Whenever you're out shopping together, stop at a bookstore or book stand as well. You can flip through a few pages together or debate over the cover. In fact, in some bookstores, there are all kinds of free reading workshops for children.
- Encourage digital reading
Children have a curiosity that grows every day and the ability to imagine the most original stories. For many of them, new technologies have replaced kites and dragons, even princes or princesses with characters from other galaxies or supernatural creatures. If you notice that the little one is more attracted to reading in digital format, encourage him. Electronic media could motivate children to read.
