Effective tricks to fix children’s reluctance to read

Educator Lev Vygotsky once said, “A child who doesn’t read is a potential poor student in their studies.”

Reading has many benefits such as increasing intelligence and understanding, but in the face of the allure of games and short videos, even adults struggle to focus, let alone children. Today, WuKong will do everything possible to help you solve your reading problems!

🤔 What kind of books are suitable for children to read? 🤔 How can we help children choose the right books? 🤔 How can we enhance children’s interest in reading?

If you want to help your child open the door to reading, keep reading!

01 What kind of books should children of different ages read?

As the saying goes, “Read ten thousand books, travel ten thousand miles.” Many parents hope that their children can read quickly and easily understand complex works by authors such as Romain Rolland and Gabriel Garcia Marquez. They pile up classics and bestsellers at home, hoping their children can read them all.

However, reading is a “slow burn” that requires a continuous investment of time in order to fully understand the depth of the content. In the field of reading, it’s impossible to become a “bookworm” overnight!

Before arranging a reading plan for children, we must first understand that children of different ages should read different types of books.

Early childhood stage

During this stage, children have a limited understanding of language and comprehension skills. Therefore, brightly colored picture books are a good choice. Books that have won awards such as the Caldecott Medal, Feng Zikai Award, and Xin Yi Picture Book Award can be purchased with confidence, as the chances of choosing a bad book are low.

Primary school – early stage

Once children reach primary school, their vocabulary undergoes a significant qualitative leap. They can gradually move from picture books to children’s literature. Classic works such as “Hans Christian Andersen’s Fairy Tales” and “Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Sea” can be used to challenge them. Works that have won awards, such as the Newbery Medal or the Bing Xin Children’s Literature Award, are also excellent choices.

Primary school – advanced stage

Once children reach the advanced stage of primary school, vocabulary is no longer a barrier and they begin to have independent thinking skills. At this stage, it’s a good idea to introduce them to popular science books about geography, history, and culture to broaden their knowledge. Although these types of books may seem difficult to understand, many popular science books have been customized for children, with interesting content that will capture their attention.

Middle school and beyond stage

After children come to the middle school stage, most of them have their own interests and preferences in the choice of books.

You can let them continue to delve into the parts they are interested in and become “experts”; you can also let them read widely and become “miscellaneous”.

At this point, the psychological construction work of parents in the early stage is considered to be done well.

02 How to Choose Books for Children?

Theory needs to be put into practice, so let’s talk about how to buy books for children.

Buy books democratically and respect children’s wishes.

Reading is important, but reading a good book is equally important.

We all know that “a forced melon is not sweet.” If parents are too authoritarian when buying books, the child’s interest in reading will be weakened.

However, in the early stages of reading, children only focus on the fun of the book, so letting them choose freely is not always the best option.

The best approach is to provide a selection of books for children to choose from, allowing them to make their own choices within that list.

Buying books from different countries

Different countries’ works often contain their own cultural heritage. In addition to buying local books for children, it’s important to also include imported books from overseas to cultivate a global perspective. For example, “The Most Beautiful Chinese Fairy Tales” can help children understand traditional Chinese culture, and “Hans Christian Andersen’s Fairy Tales” can provide a glimpse into Denmark’s customs and traditions.

Buying books with a sense of immersion

To engage children in reading, it’s important to find books that they can relate to. For example, if a child has a mischievous personality, the book “Emil and the Detectives” can help them feel like they have a story counterpart. If a child is an energetic girl, “Anne of Green Gables” can be a great choice. By finding books that fit a child’s personality and interests, they’re more likely to enjoy reading.

Buying books of different types

The world of books is diverse, including not only novels but also poetry, philosophy, art, and more. When selecting books for children, it’s important to expose them to different genres, so they can experience different literary forms and broaden their cognitive horizons.

Buying advanced books

As children mature, parents can challenge them with more advanced literature. For example, the four classic Chinese novels “Dream of the Red Chamber,” “Water Margin,” “Journey to the West,” and “Romance of the Three Kingdoms” can be introduced in the sixth grade of primary school. Books on geography, history, science, and other popular science subjects can also be added to the reading list.

However, how to make children love reading and willingly maintain a reading habit is an important issue. It’s easy to lose progress if this issue isn’t addressed properly.

03 How to Develop Reading Habits?

Many parents find it difficult to get their children to love reading. However, if you can master the key elements of “leading by example, active participation, and deep reading,” you can crack this problem.

Parents’ love of reading can influence their children

Often, children are a reflection of their parents. If your child doesn’t love reading, take a moment to reflect on your own reading habits. Do you prioritize reading in your daily life, or do you spend your free time watching TV dramas or playing with your phone? If parents don’t love reading and there are only a few books in the house, it’s difficult to cultivate a reading habit in children. Conversely, if there’s a whole wall of books in the house and parents have a regular reading habit, children are more likely to follow suit.

Active participation can encourage reading

In addition to leading by example, parents can also actively participate in children’s reading. For example, you can set aside regular reading time with your children or organize book clubs with other families. You can also ask your child about the books they’re reading and discuss the stories together.

Deep reading can deepen the understanding of the book

In addition to reading for fun, deep reading can help children better understand the book’s characters, plot, and themes. Parents can encourage children to read deeply by asking them to summarize what they’ve read, to make connections with their own lives, and to think critically about the story.

In conclusion, by leading by example, actively participating in reading, and deepening the understanding of books, parents can help their children develop a love of reading.

Parent-child reading and communication

Many parents have a misconception that their job is only to buy books, and reading is their child’s responsibility. This is not the case! Firstly, the quality of books on the market varies greatly, so it’s best for parents to read through the book before their child does. Secondly, communication and interaction between parents and children during reading is not only a good opportunity to promote their relationship but also a good opportunity to cultivate values, and develop their outlook.

Guiding deep reading

Confucius emphasized “teaching students in accordance with their aptitude,” and this approach can also be applied to deep reading. While many parents think their child is still young

and only needs to read fun books, it’s important to note that only when a child’s interest is piqued can they read deeply. If a child is interested in a particular area while reading, parents can recommend more professional books, even if they are more complicated, the child’s interest will make the difficulty easier to overcome.

Reading many books helps knowledge form a system in the brain, and improves logical and thinking abilities, which not only helps with language scores but also enhances the overall development of the child.

Finally, here are some important things to keep in mind:

• When a child is deeply engrossed in reading, do not abruptly interrupt them.
• Parents should put aside their utilitarian thoughts and remember that reading is for building a spiritual world, which cannot bring about material benefits.
• Learning never stops, not only should children read books, but parents should also read books.

This concludes Wuong’s recommendations, and it is believed that parents will benefit from them. 🥰