Reading with children

Assalamualaikum..

InsyaAllah, today I would like to share about how to develop a love of books and enthusiasm for promoting children reading skills to enable them to gain knowledge and enjoyment from reading.

1. Show your child that books are important. Have a good selection of books that you keep in a special place, perhaps in a special box, on a book shelf or in a special drawer. This way children will know where to access books and it will show them that you value stories.
   
2. Encourage reading wherever you are. There are always opportunities to talk about reading whether you are in the home, at the shops or going for walk. Talk about the sounds and words you see around you and ask your child to find words and sounds in labels, street signs, bus stops etc.
3. Have sound and words displayed in your house. This could be on the fridge, in your child's bedroom, on the living room door or on any surface. Your child will naturally interact with them and you can talk about them and test your child regularly.
4. Ask questions. If you have shared a book together, ask your child questions about the story such as "why did that character do that?" "how is that character feeling?" or "what happens next?".
5. Sensitively correct children. If your child is trying to read and gets a word wrong, saying something like "wow! that was a good try but it actually says...." is much more positive than saying "no, that's wrong". Children need encouragement.
6. Little and often. It only takes a few minutes a day to practice reading and phonics. Find a time everyday that suits your routine. After bath time perhaps, after tea or just before bed. Have plenty of different books available as well as lots of paper, pens, chalkboards, whiteboards to quickly practice with.
7. Set aside some time and find somewhere quiet without any distractions. Turn off the TV/radio/computer.
8. Ask your child to choose a book. Sharing books they have chosen shows you care what they think and that their opinion matters and they are more likely to engage with the book. 
9. Sit close together. Encourage your child to hold the book themselves and/or turn the pages.
10. Point to the pictures if there are illustrations and relate them to something your child knows. Ask them to describe the characters and relate them or situation or what will happen next. Encourage them to tell you the story by looking at the pictures.
11. Encourage your child to talk about  the book. Talking about the characters and their dilemmas helps children understand relationships and is an excellent way for you to get to know each other or discuss difficult issues. Give your child plenty of time to respond. Ask them what will happen next, how a character might be feeling or how the book makes them feel.
    
12. Don't be afraid to use funny voices. Children love this!!
13. And lastly and above all - make it fun! It doesn't matter how you read with a child, as long as you both enjoy the time together.

All the best!!!