There are few things I’m more passionate about than literacy. I have been a lover of books and writing for as long as I can remember, and have chosen to dedicate myself professionally to languages and literacy. It was an obvious career choice because books have been central to my life, but through my job, I have come to realize that not everyone views reading and writing as positives experiences.

Research shows that the earlier we can get our children enjoying reading and feeling a positive connection to books, the more likely we will be to ensure they are successful in acquiring key literacy skills, and the greater the odds that we will foster a life-long love of reading. As important as this may be, it’s not always an easy task to hook our children on books, but here are some of the things you can do to raise the odds of raising a reader.

1. Create a “book flood” in your home. Buy books and fill your home with them. Place some in the playroom, tons in their bedroom and even provide a stack in the bathroom. Books can be expensive if bought new, but yard sales, used books sales, school book orders and hand me downs can allow you to inexpensively build a good sized home library. By surrounding your child with books, you will be greatly improving the chances that books will end up in their hands and they will catch the reading bug.
2. Speak positively about reading. I understand that not every parent loves to read themselves and that not every parent had positive experiences associated with reading, but language is powerful. If you want your child to have a positive outlook on reading, avoid negative talk and tell them all the good things that can come from books.
3. Make books a part of your daily routine. There is nothing my toddler loves more than avoiding bedtime, so I use that to my advantage. When I announce that it’s time for bed and she growls that she’s not tired, I only offer this option: “You can go straight to bed, or we can go together and I will read you a story while we snuggle”. Whether it’s because she loves books or because she’s still trying to avoid sleep, I don’t know, but I do know that ending the day enjoying a story and cuddling my girl is as good as it gets.
4. Don’t underestimate the power of non-fiction and comic books. This is especially true with boys, but girls love them, too. Often when we think of reading to our children, we think of stories, but some kids love learning about cool new things and being engaged in colourful pictures. If your child is uninterested in storybooks, opt for a few “non-traditional” forms of literature instead.
5. When you read together, make it an interactive experience. My daughter is only three and can’t officially “read”, but few things make her more proud than when I pause in a story we’ve read over and over, and allow her to finish the sentence from memory. In fact, this process is the first type of “reading” children do and it’s an important skill. Pause to ask them questions about what was read; they will be proud in knowing they answered and you will have practiced important reading comprehension skills with them. Allow them to look at the cover or flip through the pictures first, and have them predict what will happen. Ask them opinions on what was read. Their future teachers will thank you, and your child will start associating positive feelings and positive interactions with you with books. It’s all win-win.
6. Allow your children to see you reading. If you’re not a reader, this may take effort, but the positive that will come from your child seeing you engaged in a book will have a huge impact. If you’re not a book reader, buy some magazines on subjects that interest you. It’s not what you read that’s important; it’s that you pass on the message that reading is something even the adults in their life see as a worthwhile way to spend time.
7. Associate books with positive life experiences. When we potty trained my daughter, we first took her shopping for potty-related books. When we found out about baby #2, we presented our daughter with a big sister book and announced the pregnancy with photos of her posing with it. On Christmas Eve, Santa’s elves always deliver a new Christmas book to be read as a family. Books are given as birthday presents. Before taking our first plane ride as a family, we presented our girls with an interactive flap-book, explaining everything they needed to know about planes and the airport. Making books a part of important moments in your children’s lives will cause them to make really positive associations.
8. Be generous with books. When I was a child, I wasn’t allowed to ask for treats during every shopping trip, but I was allowed to ask for a new book. My parents understood that reading is important and were generous in allowing me to add to my own library. If you have the funds while in a store, set a precedent and train your child to only beg for new books rather than candy and toys.
9. Get your child a library card. Last summer, I took my daughter to the library for the first time, signed her up for her own card and enrolled her in a summer reading challenge. She was beyond excited. In fact, we read the books we had signed out on the bench in front of the library and had to return to the building to get new ones before ever returning home. She loved being able to keep track of all the books we read over the summer months in her reading passport. The library is a fun place for them to experience, it’s free and it’s a great place for a low-key family outing.
10. Talk about books while living your life. Make connections between things you see day to day and things you encounter while reading together. When visiting the zoo, refer to animals from stories you’ve read. Prepare children for future experiences by bringing up similar things characters experienced in stories. Tell your child about your favourite childhood books. Talk to your child about books you’ve read as an adult. It will not only show that you are engaged in their literacy, but will also allow you to make even stronger personal connections with your children.

Kayla

Meet Kayla!

I am the proud mother of two sweet girls: one an independent, chatterbox, and the other an easy-going, happy ball of joy. A book lover through and through, I have followed my passion from a degree in English Lit to a career teaching middle school literacy. I spend my days teaching the proper placement of the comma (amongst other things), my evenings surviving bedtime routines and stealing cuddles, and my nights binge watching reality tv and late-night snacking with my husband, Scott. My obsessions include keeping up with current events, sharing useless facts, watching American politics with a horrified look on my face, travelling and the idea of “tiny homes”.

Likes- eating noodles, planning future vacations and scoring sweet deals while online shopping.

Dislikes- bananas, bigotry and being cold.