Reading for kids -how important is it?
I have a love of books and reading.
I don’t know where that came from as it’s hard to remember if as a child I was read to or not. However, as a teenager I definitely remember reading a lot( mainly Stephen King and the like!). Thankfully, that love of reading is still as strong today.
When both my boys were tiny it was part of the bedtime routine to have a story. When they started reading at school it was religiously done everyday.
All of that has paid off as now at the grand old ages of 11 and 13 years they are both avid readers in their own right. My youngest actually got a Kindle for his Christmas present.
However, I do know families where the kids are totally uninterested in reading and no matter what they have tried along the way, it hasn’t worked.
So does it matter whether you start early or not? Does it matter if the parents are avid readers?
Does it matter if you don’t have lots of books at home?
Top tips on how to get your children reading
Watch our video with Jeff Brazier where he gives his top tips on making story time fun
For some parents, a seemingly simple task like reading your children bedtime stories can send them into a nervous panic. But, it’s never too soon or too late to get your children reading and needn’t be a stressful experience.
That’s why celebrity dad Jeff Brazier has joined forces with the National Literacy Trust today to launch a new campaign to try and help the four million children in Britain who don’t own a book to start reading.
Almost a fifth of children who don’t read say there are no books in their homes, which is why the National Literacy Trust is backing the campaign from McDonald’s UK and Harper Collins for a new partnership to help get kids reading.
McDonald’s UK is to hand out around nine million popular children’s books with its Happy Meals, as part of a new partnership with publishing house Harper Collins. The promotion aims to get books into the hands of families and support mums and dads in reading with their children.
Watch our video with Jeff Brazier and Jack Sallabank from the National Literacy Trust where they give their top tips to get your children reading. From funny voices to involving your children with finger puppets, watch our video for Jeff’s great tips which is sure to be a success with any child.
So what strategies have you tried to get your children interested in books?
What age group where they when they started showing an interest?
Do you buy books or rely on your local library?
Brilliant post! I completely agree with you, I have always instilled the importance of reading to mine and my eldest like yours is an avid reader and is now (hopefully) on course for an A at GCSE! My six year old is a fab reader but doesn’t like fiction books so now I encourage him to read sporting books, magazines and even the sports pages of the newspaper as as long as he’s reading something I don’t mind!
Thanks Nikki, sounds like you have done a great job with your two. Wondering how difficult it must be for parents whose children just refuse to read! thanks for popping over 🙂
It’s always been a natural thing to read to our children. They love it, we have millions of books, go to library sometimes. My daugther goes to the school library every week and brings back 2 books every week. Their daddy also make up stories with them in. They love it. They make their own stories up as well.
Mette- thanks that’s great to hear> I think myself very lucky that my boys enjoy reading. It must be very difficult for parents when their children refuse or do not want to! 🙂
Great post and something that a lot of us parents think and worry about I am sure. We do the bedtime stories routine with the Tinkerous Toddler and she is certainly fond of books. But then she would be, because both her parents are avid readers. So, I wonder if it’s ye olde nurture / nature thing – you can give the opportunities and guide, but ultimately, it’s how each of us is made up that decides whether we will be book lovers.
MotherWifeMe- thanks, this is definitely becoming apparant. We hope they will enjoy books because we do, but it really isn’t always the case.
As a child I never stopped reading, and I assumed that my kids would too. But they haven’t. DD 1 finally started reading books for pleasure at 9, but only picks one up occasionally and would much rather be on her laptop, and my 10 year old aspie boy only reads a tiny amount of non-fiction, despite me still reading bedtime stories every night – we’re working through the Harry Potter series right now.
Blue Sky- It’s strange isn’t it as you would think it would be a natural progression if you are an avid reader! I have a friend in the same boat where she reads but her children aren’t interested yet. Good for you to still maintain a bedtime story though- something you can enjoy together 🙂
I think to a large degree kids do what they see us doing. If we read (and I don’t just mean ‘read them bedtime stories’) If we are regularly reading books, magazines etc for pleasure they will see reading as a pleasurable pastime and want in on the ‘action’ too. If we lie about watching TV all day that will also be what they land up doing.
Hi Vanessa, thanks for comment. Your probably right in a way as kids do learm from what they see us do. Therefore it’s not all about reading to them but showing them that reading is a fun thing to do 🙂
Brilliant post… Reading is so important isn’t it! I would say my top tip is to read to them from day one… not only does this help with their reading skills, but it gives them an interest in reading from an early age! Emma 🙂
Hi Emma, thanks- this seems to be the concensus here. If we don’t read to them from an early age they wont see the pleasure they can get from reading for themselves as they get older! 🙂
I think reading is so important. If you can master reading well then you find All the other subjects easy. I think the earlier you start reading with children the better, they might not understand when they are babes in arms but they are enjoying being close to you and listening to your voice. They associate reading with being a lovely thing.
I know it doesn’t work for all children. I live reading but my brother hates it.
Thanks for linking up to the education showcase.
Interesting strategy to give books out with Happy Meals. Having books in the house definitely helps but, as others have said, reading with and in front of your children is very important.