One of the easiest ways to keep young minds active during breaks from school is by reading.
Reading books—in the old-fashioned, alone and quiet sense—does more than simply help to develop a strong vocabulary. Reading helps today’s media-saturated children learn how to unwind and slow down.
Spending quality time with a good book helps children develop skills that pay off in the classroom. Here’s how:
- Reading helps children learn how to be patient and how to focus. There is ramp-up time involved in reading books—sometimes, it can take two or three chapters to get hooked, which teaches perseverance and patience.
- Regular reading is one of the best-known ways to expand vocabulary and learn how to use words correctly, and in the right context.
- Reading teaches the importance of seeing connections and new meanings, which is vital to active learning.
Getting your child to unplug a video game and read a book isn’t always an easy task, but it can be done! Here are some tips:
- Read together as a family, even if it is a comic book.
- Let your child choose the book.
- Take turns reading paragraphs or chapters out loud.
- Discuss subjects such as characters and setting.
- Ask if children can relate a situation in a book to an experience that they’ve had.
