Research from the National Literacy Trust shows that children’s literacy levels improve substantially when their Dads get involved with reading. But, how can Dads convince children that books are just as cool as the latest video games?
Best-selling children’s novelist GP Taylor, author of the Shadowmancer series, has recently joined forces with Renaissance Learning to encourage reading among families.
“It is shocking that a fifth of UK children are still leaving primary school unable to read." Says Taylor. "Parental involvement is the key to helping children learn to read and develop a life-long love of books. Reading is such an important life skill that so many people take for granted that it can be easy for a busy family to overlook the reading needs of their children.”
With that in mind, here are some top tips for dads to get involved in reading with their children:
- Choose a book you can both enjoy and read together for half an hour instead of watching TV or playing computer games.
- With kids under two, don't worry if they'd rather flick through the pages and point at pictures than read the story - at this point the story is much less important than the child understanding the world around them.
- Get interactive – why not encourage children to write their own stories using characters in a book, you can also write one yourself!
- Personalise reading- choose the correct reading matter for you and your child, you can read anything such as football programmes, comics, sporting magazines etc.
- Read with your child everyday. Make a point to sit down together everyday and read something – it could be before bed or before dinner – make it into a regular occasion which you can both look forward to.
- Read yourself- children copy their parents so set a good example!
- Fill your home with books, both fiction and non fiction, and encourage your child to fill their own bookcase with their favourite books. Books in the home encourage a life long love of reading for the whole family. It doesn't have to be expensive either - you can pick up books in libraries, charity shops and on Freecycle for little or nothing!
- Many films are based on books, why not read the book of their favourite film and have fun discussing the differences.
- Find a subject you can both enjoy whether its horror, comedy, science fiction or adventure stories and really enjoy reading for the pleasure of a good story.
- Take it in turn to read pages or chapters, by sharing the experience not only are you spending time with your child but you are able to keep track of how they are improving.
- Visit your local library or book shop together- discuss what you want to read and spend time hunting down books for you both to enjoy.
- Enjoy reading – it’s a gift which you can share with your child and will last them a lifetime.