We have always been told that is good to read and now we try to make our kids love reading, but maybe it’s useful for us to remember in the first place why reading is such a great thing for our intellect.
Science says that reading from an early age makes you more intelligent.
Children’s books, for example, expose kids to 50 percent more words than prime time TV, or even a conversation between college graduates, according to a paper from the University of California, Berkeley.
Exposure to that new vocabulary not only leads to higher score on reading tests, but also higher scores on general tests of intelligence. Plus, stronger early reading skills may mean higher intelligence later in life.
Science also sustain that reading reduce stress, improves memory, develops empathy and enhances concentration.
A 2009 study at the University of Sussex found that reading for only 6 minutes can reduce stress levels by up to 68%.
What is amazing is the fact that reading actually increase your brain power.
Just like any other muscle in the body, the brain requires exercise to keep it strong and healthy, so the phrase “use it or lose it” is particularly apt when it comes to your mind.
Frequent brain exercise was able to lower mental decline by 32 percent, reports The Huffington Post. This is also the reason reading prevent Alzheimer disease.
Now, we know why is a great brain workout for our kids, but how can we attract them to reading?
We can share with you the tricks that worked with our kids, hopefully will help you too!
1. Do what you preach!
If you are not a heavily reader yourself there are lower chances to determine your child to be one. Kids imitate the persons they admire and if you love reading yourself and make some interesting conversations about what you found new in your books, this might arouse his interest to discover new things and become as intelligent as you are in the future. Plus, kids love to be rewarded for a good thing they discovered and also treated seriously, like adults.
2. Make it fun!
Reading can be a quality time spent with your kids, at the end of the day, for example, you can both relax and share this special moment of intimacy and fantasy. To transform it into a more fun game, you can imitate the voices of your favorite characters while you reading. Also you can alternate the roles to encourage the child to read with loud voice. You can even ask him to read you a bed time story and pretend you are the child.
3. Continue together the story
After the end of the book, imagine together what would happens next.
This can be a very fun and imaginative way to arouse his curiosity about the plot. You can both make a sequel based on what happened to a certain point and see if the book will confirm it. Also, you can imagine what the favorite character will do in the future, after the end of the book. Use you sense of humor and make it a comic story, maybe even using real persons you both know to be more exciting.
4. Watch the film adapted by the book.
All the kids love going to the movies, but when it come to something they read, it will be more curious than ever.
5. Create a fantasy reading place.
Admiring the characters in the book, the child will imagine himself as one of the character he likes. Improvising a more attractive reading place, will make it easier for him to keep the fantasy and feel a part of the story. You can buy your child an indoor tent, is not expensive at all and will make him very happy, we guarantee. You can also improvise inside a décor of an adventurous trip, imagine that you are a great traveler around the world and you read to get prepared for your next destination.
We hope, these tips helped you with the reading challenge and we are very curious about your tricks.
Please do share with us and other parents your tips and tricks that attracted your child to love the reading!