10 Ways Book-Loving Moms Get Their Kids Excited About Books Even Before They Can Read
Moms who are obsessed with reading will do just about anything to ensure that their kids will end up obsessed with reading, too. What can we say? We know that reading with your kid is the best part of any day, so we want to make sure that reading becomes a staple of our kids' growing lives and not just something that sometimes happens every once in a while.
That can be a challenge. The Internet and tablets and television and super loud, super obnoxious toys are all things. All things that children love. (And who can blame them? Even I'm drawn to them.) There's more and more (sometimes unlimited) screen time for kids these days, and interactive programs on handheld devices are hard to upstage, so it can be difficult for books to compete with flashing lights and talking tablets. Thankfully, there are a few easy ways to get your kid hooked on reading books, way before they actually know what words or sentences or even pages are.
Reading can be fun and interactive and something your kid looks forward to, instead of watching television or playing on an iPad. All you have to do, as a book-loving mom, is to make reading as interesting and enjoyable as loud toys and louder television shows. Here are 10 ways to get your kid excited about reading before they even know how, because it's never too early to fall in love with literature.
They Buy Their Kids More Books Than Toys
Toys are important to the early development of a child, but so are books. Any literature-loving mother, while trying to get her kid to love the written word as much as she does, will put a book in her kids' hands as soon as possible. Even if they just get used to holding a book and flipping through pages and marveling at the pictures and colors, they're learning that they can find joy and fun from a book because, yes, they can be fun to play with, too.
They Buy Books With Bright Colors
Babies are drawn to bright colors and large shapes, so even if they can't understand the words on the page, they can be drawn to the large, colorful pictures on the pages. Buying books with minimal words but massive pictures ensures that your child will be into turning pages.
They Read To Their Kid Every Night
A great way to get a kid interested in books, is to make reading books a normal, regular thing. If you spend some time, every day — whether it's in the morning or at night before bedtime — reading, your kid will start to get used to the idea that books are just part of everyday life.
They Make Reading More Like Playing
If you really want to get your kid interested in books, make reading interesting: Change your voice for different characters; make big grand gestures with your hands while reading; tickle your kiddo when there's a funny part in the book. There are so many things you can do to make reading more like playing, so your kid starts associating fun with books.
They Ask Their Kids Questions During Reading Time
Get your kid involved while you're reading to them. Ask them to point out "the cat" or "the fish" or anything on the page that they might recognize (or learn to recognize). Ask them what their favorite part of the book was or what they think will happen next.
They Pick Books Of All Shapes And Sizes
Diversify the books that you buy your kid, so that they don't get bored with books or the idea of reading. Buy big books and small books and fat books and skinny books. Make your bookshelf look colorful and inviting, and your kid will be drawn to it.
They Buy Books About Their Kids' Favorite Toys Or Shows
A great way to entice your kid into reading is to pick books about their favorite characters or toys or television shows. If your kid is a Sesame Street fan, buy an Elmo book or a Grover book. If your kid likes trains, buy a Thomas The Train book. Your kid will love reading because their favorite character is in the pages and then, pretty soon, they'll simply love reading.
They Act Out Certain Parts Of A Book
Why not turn reading a book into acting out a play? The more interactive you are with the pages you're turning, the more your kid will be excited about reading and books in general. Act out a favorite scene from the book. Make your kid laugh when you fall down like the main character did. There's nothing better than hearing your son or daughter giggle, because of something you've read and then acted out for them.
They Put On Fun Music While They Read
All babies are born with the potential to be musical, and music aids a baby in their development, just like reading. If you put on soft, light music while reading, it can assist your baby in associating reading with stimulation and pleasure.
They'll Drop Everything To Read To Their Kid
There is no "I'm too busy to read you that book, I'm sorry." Even if a book-loving mom is very busy — under a deadline or in the middle of a call or doing any number of things she has to do during the day — she will drop whatever it is to read the book that her kid has brought her.
