Reading is Fun

It can be hard getting kids to sit down and read a book on their own. Here are five ways you can make reading more fun and instil a love of reading in your young ones.

Being able to read is a vital skill to have as it is pivotal for the development of language proficiency, speech, comprehension and creativity. But some children may find it a chore to sit still and pore over the written word. For these restless little ones, here are a few things we can do to get them settled with a good book:

Read with them

According to the Scholastic Kids & Family Reading Report, 87% of kids aged 6-11 loved being read to by their parents, and the top three reasons why they enjoyed read-aloud sessions were:

• It was a special time with their parent
• Reading together was fun
• They got to enjoy books that might be too hard for them to read on their own.

On top of all this, reading to your children helps them develop a lifelong interest in reading from an early age.

Ask your children questions and opinions about the story

Get them to actively participate. Ask them to repeat certain words and ask them what those words mean. Point out objects and characters in the storybook. Ask them what they have learnt at the end of the tale. This upgrades your reading session into a learning session. Just for fun, don’t be afraid to use silly voices, perform actions that match the story or use a bit of your acting skills to emphasize parts of the story.

Encourage your children to pick what they want to read

Whether from a library or the bookshelf at home, letting them pick their reading material will help develop their sense of preference and individuality. Having a wide selection of books on different topics and formats (pop-up books, books with sound buttons or unique illustrations) helps young ones associate books with pleasure rather than a chore or boring schoolwork.

Get a library membership and attend reading sessions

Instead of going to the mall on weekends, opt for the library or local bookstore. Get your child a library card and teach them the process of borrowing a book. Some bookstores and libraries even offer tours, interactive read aloud sessions and book clubs.

Let read-along videos and toys assist you

Nowadays, books don’t just come in the form of paperbacks and hardcovers. Audiobooks and read-along videos are handy options too. Do a quick search for popular read-aloud videos for children on YouTube and your options are almost endless. Use toys or puppets associated with the story to keep things interesting.

Furthermore, cow’s milk undergoes a series of processing in order to be made into milk powder, and during the heating stage called pasteurization, about 90% of the BST present in the milk is destroyed. The rest is easily and safely digested by the body with no side effects. Therefore, it is highly unlikely that BST can cause early puberty or other unwanted side effects.