There are so many benefits of reading for children, including a fantastic way to relax, increase knowledge and expand vocabulary. But how do you choose the right book?
Children, like us adults will often struggle to do things that do not interest us, therefore although school books may have a particular purpose and be designed in a specific way they can often be quite boring.
Therefore, I highly recommend reading at home and encouraging children to choose their own books.
In this blog I am going to share with you my six top tips on how to choose the best books for your children.
What are your child’s interests?
Let’s make your child’s reading experience as interesting as possible so they want to read. Find a topic they are interested in. It could be anything from dinosaurs, animals, magic, adventures or funny stories.
Then do a search for this topic. You could try Google, Amazon or even the local library.
Consider your child’s age and ability.
You want a book that is easy enough for your child to read as this will build confidence, but you also want the book to be slightly challenging, so they continue to learn.
It is a good ideas to also ensure the book is age appropriate, so your child can relate to the story and understand what’s happening. This is often quoted on the book or in the online description.
Book reviews and recommendations.
There’s nothing better than a book review written by another parent or by the child themselves. Book reviews can often be found online and are usually linked to the books themselves in online stores.
You could also ask other parents or children for recommendations. People will often love to share what they thought about particular books and make recommendations.
After reading a book, why not also share a review and let other people know what you thought.
Favourite authors or series of books.
Look at the books your child has previously enjoyed and try to find something similar. For example, with the same theme, written by the same author or maybe they are part of a series.
What is the purpose of the book?
What do you want your child to get from the book? Maybe you want them to learn about their ABC’s, friendship, space or how to look after a pet?
Maybe you want your child to read for fun, a way to relax.
When you know what type of book you are looking for then they are much easier to find.
Let your child choose.
Still not sure what book to choose? Let your child decide.
I used to love a trip to the library, a visit to the book store or a school book fair!
Often when a child is allowed to choose their own books with a little guidance, they will be more inclined to want to read.
In this article I have shared with you my top six tips for choosing books for your children. Remember sometimes it’s more about encouraging them to read than what they are reading, so if they prefer to read a magazine or recipe book that’s good too.
If you would like more tips on children’s reading and writing or if you have anymore tips you would like to share.
Please come and join me on social media.
FB Page: Sarah Jenkins Children’s Author
FB Group: Children’s Author Academy
0 Comments