5 creative ways to instill a love of reading in your child
Besides reading aloud to your kids, model reading, taking your kids to story time at the library and swapping screen time for a book, there are a few other creative ways in which to instill a love of reading in your child.
Write a book together.
Does your child have an imaginary friend or a best friend or a stuffed animal? He would love writing and reading about his friend or stuffed animal going on adventures. Making the stories into a mini-series will keep him reading even longer. Many children’s books come with a plush friend which bring book characters to life; in this case, the plush animal comes with the book!
Create a theme for the reading area.
If your child loves stories about pirates, fill your reading nook with a treasure chest filled with books, a mural painted with ships and more. Pinterest can be a great source for inspiration or you could even look at book illustrations.
Bring books to life.
Is the book about fish? Visit the aquarium. Does the book take place in a particular location? Plan a trip there. Is the book about a dog adoption? Visit a shelter (if you don’t mind coming back home with a furry animal).
Read in the kitchen.
Reading doesn’t always have to be fiction. Take turns reading aloud a recipe that both of you can make together. Your child will be rewarded with a delicious dish in the end!
Read to a pet.
If you have a pet, have your child read to her. Many libraries have dog therapy reading programs. Reading aloud can be stressful, but when you have non-judgmental listener, it becomes an enjoyable experience.