Reading is a highly beneficial skill to instill in your children. It not only helps them do well in school, but it also enhances their general knowledge, personal development, and mental health. Enrolling your toddler or preschooler in a Crème de la Crème daycare program is a great way to help them develop a reading habit at an early age. Find a location near you and schedule a tour to get started. In the meantime, you can try the tips that our knowledgeable team has collected to encourage your little one to love reading.

Set Aside Time Every Day for Reading

One of the best ways to get your child interested in reading is to make it a part of their daily routine. Try to keep it as relaxed and fun as possible so that it won’t seem like a chore. If mustering enthusiasm for reading becomes challenging, think of creative ways to add a little excitement to the activity. For example, you can create a “reading den” by hanging a blanket or bedsheet from a picture hook and making a cozy nest of pillows. This can be enough to make your youngster look forward to settling down with a book.

Find Out What Your Child Likes To Read

To help your little one enjoy reading, it’s essential to find out which genres they’re interested in. It’s easy if your kid happens to be passionate about the natural world or outer space as you can easily find quality fact books on these subjects. Even if they’re only interested in sports, superheroes, or unicorns, there’s nothing to worry about. At this stage, the important thing is to identify your child’s literary preferences and help them catch the reading bug.

Take Your Child to the Bookshop

Physical books have eye-catching covers and a distinctive smell that make them attractive to children. Visit your local bookshop with your child and let them pick and buy something they like. This can make them feel excited about opening the book and discovering the story inside. If you find that your child has the tendency to lose interest in a book soon after they start reading it, consider downloading book excerpts on an e-reader to try before buying.

Build Your Child’s Reading Confidence

Children often get a bit lost when they transition from story books to chapter books. Even though they’ve moved on from the story styles of picture books, going through pages of text can be overwhelming for them. If this is the case, you can ease the transition by getting illustrated versions of chapter books from your local library or bookshop. Illustrations break up intimidating blocks of text and provide context to the story to support narrative understanding.

Likewise, don’t dismiss graphic novels or comic books. These books can improve your child’s understanding of the order in which events take place, as their stories typically have a beginning, middle, and end. They can also support vocabulary development. While reading comic books and graphic novels alone won’t help your youngster excel in school, it may just spark enough interest to get them to try other books and develop a regular reading habit.

Take Advantage of Tech Resources

If your child is a reluctant or struggling reader, you can try letting them listen to the book’s audio version while they’re reading. This helps them understand tricky words and gives them the freedom to enjoy a book without asking a parent to read to them. The additional support can go a long way in getting your kid interested in books and advancing their reading skills.

Don’t Stop Your Child From Rereading Books

Many children have the habit of reading the same books over and over again. That’s perfectly fine, as it can be an effective way to boost comprehension skills. 

Repetition can help your child learn the text better and read it with confidence. With each new reading of a book, they’ll notice something new and gain a deeper understanding of the story. This allows them to get the most out of a book, which can make reading more meaningful and fulfilling. The positive experience they get from rereading the same book may inspire them to try new books and read more often.

Read Aloud to Your Child

Reading out loud to your young reader helps them connect sounds with words and letters on a page. Additionally, it improves their vocabulary and understanding of facts and ideas. When you read aloud to your child, you also give them the impression that you enjoy reading yourself. This can strengthen your bond with them and make them look forward to reading time.

Create Opportunities To Read Beyond Books

Make it a point to provide your kid with plenty of opportunities to read every day. For example, you can write notes and leave them in your child’s lunchbox or on their pillow. Also, ask your relatives and friends to send text messages, emails, letters, or postcards. Place magnetic letters on the fridge, and your little one may use them to create words, sentences, and stories.

Play Word Games With Your Child

Whether you’re at home or out running errands, you can play word games with your child to help them build their reading skills. One example of a great word game is a special version of “I Spy,” which involves spotting things around you that start with a certain letter. You can also ask your child to try reading some of the signs they come across while outside.

Enroll Your Child in a Crème de la Crème Program Today

If you want to give your child a head start in reading, consider enrolling them in a Crème de la Crème program. With more than 40 locations across the U.S., we offer specially tailored daycare programs and immersive summer camps that will properly prepare your little one for their educational journey ahead. From premium amenities to dedicated teachers, we have everything it takes to provide your child with an unparalleled early childhood learning experience. Contact us today to schedule a tour of your nearest Crème de la Crème location or give us a call at (866) 359-3715.

Girl reading a book by Personal Creations is licensed with CC BY 2.0