This week, I’m featuring a guest post by English teacher Pam Johnson* on how to choose the best books for children of any age:
If you want your children to excel in school and life, you MUST encourage them to read. Not only does reading increase your child’s intelligence, but it can also help fuel his or her imagination. According to studies, reading provides a variety of positive benefits that include teaching your child coping skills and how to live a more positive life. If you understand the importance of getting your child to read and you want to get your child the right books, here are some ways you can choose the right reading materials for your kids.
1. Age Appropriateness
Make sure that when you buy books for your child, you are buying age appropriate books. If you child is a baby, start early with encouraging him or her to read by buying books made for babies. These books include bright pictures and basic words that will grab your baby’s attention and these books are a great way to give your child early exposure to words. If your child is older, look for books that fit your child’s specific reading level. There are beginner readers and intermediate readers that help younger children become more comfortable with books.
2. Timely Subject Matter
If your child is dealing with a tough situation like a death or a divorce, find books that tackle these topics. There are books written about almost every possible trauma a child might have to deal with, and these books can help your child cope with these situations. If your child reads a book that relates to the feelings he or she might have over a certain painful situation, it can help your child better understand his or her own feelings.
3. Choice
If you really want to get your child the right reading material, let him or her pick out the books. Whether you go to the library or you head on over to your favorite book store, let your child pick out the book. If the subject matter does not catch your child’s interest, he or she won’t want to read it. By allowing your child to pick out the book of his or her choice, your child will be more apt to read it.
4. Variety
If you want to have a library full of the right reading material for your child, make sure you get books that cover a variety of different topics. Not only will a book collection full of different types of books make reading fun for you child, but he or she will also get the opportunity to learn more about a variety of different subjects.
5. Safety
Be sure to keep all those books that you bond with your children over around so that someday they can pass them on to their children too! If they’re classics, be sure you have proper home insurance to take care of them in case of anything!
By teaching your child to read, you are giving your child an enormous amount of benefits. Not only can reading teach your child about words so to increase his or her vocabulary, but reading can also teach your child valuable life lessons. If you want your children to develop a lifelong love of reading, following the above listed ways to choose the right books will help get them started.
*As an English teacher, author Pam Johnson has great experience with helping children read at the best level for them. She obtained her degree from one of the Top 10 Best Online Colleges for Teachers.