Reading comprehension is one of the fundamental skills that should be developed at an early age. Many children find themselves drawn to books and stories; if your kid is not one of them, you could take this opportunity to foster his interest.
You could start by encouraging him to go to a library, where a magnificent selection of both classic and contemporary reading materials is always available. One of the best places your child could go to is an international school in Manila where there may be plenty of choices for him. Apart from that, you could inspire him further by joining him navigate the vast and wonderful world of literature—you could treat it as a great bonding activity.
Immersing your child in books has a positive effect on his mental, emotional, and physical growth. To help you out, here are steps you can take to properly guide him in this endeavor:
Create Your Own Book Club
Creating your very own book club is a remarkable idea to encourage your little bookworm to read more. Both of you could consider it as an extra-curricular activity for the weekends, holidays or during class cancellations.
You could assign your child a certain book to read in a month that you will later on discuss during your “book club meetings.” If you are wondering what books are appropriate for his age, you could refer to this list:
- For ages 9-10: The One and Only Ivan by Katherine Applegate, Walk Two Moons by Sharon Creech, The Wednesday Wars by Gary D. Schmidt, Because of Winn-Dixie by Kate DiCamillo, A Long to Walk Water by Linda Sue Park, and Matilda by Roald Dahl
- For ages 10-14: Wolf Hollow by Lauren Wolk, The Lost Island by Eilis Dillon, The Lions of Little Rock by Kristin Levine, The Children of the King by Sonya Hartnett, Wonder by R. J. Palacio, and The Dreamer by Pam Munoz Ryan and Peter Sis
You could add more books as you go along.
In your meetings, you could start off by asking your child about his favorite part/s, and go from there.
Take Trips to Different Bookstores and Libraries
Another great step you could take to foster your child’s love of books is to visit places that expose him to different kinds of reading materials. In fact, why don’t you schedule a trip at least once a month to buy that book you want to discuss with him on your book club? You could even ask him what he wants to read next.
If both of you are stump on what you should buy next, she could always ask her trusted school librarian for suggestions.
Use Technology to Your Advantage
In this day and age, children are naturally tech-savvy. Instead of discouraging your child to use his gadgets, you could actually utilize the apps on his smart phone or tablet that will allow him to read more. You could, then, download all of his favorite books from there so he could take it anywhere.
Key Takeaway
Foster your child’s interest in reading by not only enrolling him in the best international school in Manila, but also creating an environment where he could easily read novels. Join him in this endeavor and both of you will, for sure, establish a closer bond through your love of books.
