Introducing Children to Books
It is never too early to start introducing children to books. In fact, the sooner the better because it has been shown that books do not only boost children’s imagination but also help them to expand their vocabulary and develop a lifelong interest in reading books. Without a doubt, children can only benefit if introduced to books at an early age. But how to choose the “right“ books for your child?
If you are a parent, you most certainly want your child to benefit from books and have a great time at the same time. The entertainment part is just as important, if not even more so because you need to stimulate your child’s interest in books. Why? Because children are primarily interested in having fun and they tend to avoid everything they do not perceive as entertaining. And you do not want them to avoid books. For that reason it is very important to be careful how you introduce your child to books as well as what kind of books you choose.
Making your child perceive books as fun should not be a problem due to a large number of exciting children’s books available as well as due to the fact that all children are curious and want to learn. It is not as much about the content (not that it is not important) but about choosing the right difficulty for his/her age. For example, Cinderella is too easy for a 10-year old, while Hamlet is too difficult and neither of both books will achieve the desired effect. Too easy books will not help your child to progress intellectually despite the fact that they may offer entertainment, while too difficult books will not be comprehended at all and much less considered fun.
When choosing books for your child, it may be a good idea to let him/her choose the books alone if old enough. Yes, he/she will perhaps not make a choice you would prefer but if you let your child to pick a book on his/her own, he/she will enjoy it even more than if it would be chosen by you. But what if he/she chooses a book that is either too easy or too hard for his/her age? In the first case, try to make him/her understand that he/she is too clever for such books. That way you will boost his/her self-esteem and make him/her curious about what is in the books for “clever“ children. In the second case, you may easily let him/her because he/she will be able to read it a bit later but make sure that he/she understands that he/she cannot follow the book because he/she is not old enough.
You can easily avoid your child picking a “wrong“ book and still allow him/her to choose one on his/her own by making a list of books you feel that may be appropriate for your child because you know him/her best. However, you can do this only if you know which books your child will enjoy and benefit from reading at the same time.