Are you preparing for the birth of a child or are you already raising a baby and thinking about how to develop a love for books? We have highlighted several pedagogical life hacks that will help you teach your child to read.
Life Hack No1. Create a book environment
The logic of this advice is simple: the more books the baby sees, the more naturally they are introduced into his everyday life. If your family library is not too large, then this is not a big deal – in this case, you can focus on ubiquity: make bookshelves in every room. They can be divided thematically: for example, collections of recipes in the kitchen, and fairy tales in the child's room. Over time, the paper collection will need to be replenished with stories that are interesting to you and your child. In this way, your home library will grow along with your child's interest in reading.
Life Hack No2. Read your books to your child
Yes, reading fairy tales before going to bed is a good move. But if the child has never seen a book in your hands at another time, then he will not associate the naturalness of reading in everyday life. This rule is similar to the previous one: the more often a child sees books in a natural home environment, the faster he gets used to them and is more actively interested in reading.
Life Hack No3. Discuss your books with your child
Even if you are a fan of novels marked "adults only", then you should not hide in the bathroom or bedroom with a book - just do not share the details of the plot with your child if he asks what you are reading. Highlight only those aspects that he can know: for example, that the books beautifully describe human relationships, the author helps to understand the logic of each of the characters.
In general, discussing books with your child is an important part of the process. Even if you don't read the story now, but you liked it yourself as a child, share this experience with your child the next time he catches you reading.
Life Hack No4. Imagine that the book is a script, and you are an actor at a reading
Or, to put it simply, don't neglect reading aloud. Do you remember those bedtime fairy tales? But you can go beyond the evening tradition at the child's bedside. You can even read roles in the middle of the day just because you feel like it, and reading is great. Only the main thing is to do it not for show, monotonously and fluently, but thoughtfully, with emotions, a change of tones and feelings in the voice. Remember – you are an actor with a script, not a parent with a children's fairy tale!
Life Hack No5. Love for books begins in infancy
Surely you have heard the recommendations that newborns need to turn on classical music to form their sense of beauty and just help the development of neural connections? Books also do a good job with this. To do this, you need to take the previous advice and apply it to the baby – yes, he will not be able to read his role yet, but you will practice before future joint book "performances".
By the way, reading to a newborn is a kind of meditation for an adult. When you immerse yourself in the story and become a character who lives in another world, your nervous system reboots from the usual earthly stresses and worries.
