Reading Nooks: How to Encourage Healthy Reading Habits

Verse of the Day: "Behold, I send you forth as sheep in the midst of the wolves: be ye therefore as wise as serpents and harmless as doves." Matthew 10:16

In preschool, my classroom had a large castle in it. The bottom half was the kitchen and make-believe area and the top was the reading station. I didn't really enjoy that area at first because there weren't many books that interested me, then my teacher Mrs. Caldwell took us to our school library and let us check out our own books to read in the station and it became the only place I wanted to be!

Our school librarian Mrs Monroe was one of the people who encouraged my love of reading simply because of her passion for teaching us and the joy that radiated from her while she read to us. Her joy for reading and books were infectious.

She stressed the importance of reading books we loved and the results were me checking out five books at a time every other day, not including the days that we were scheduled to go to the library. I started with the Disney Classics Collection growing into Junie B. Jones, Amelia Badelia, Goosebumps, The Berestein bears, Nancy Drew, The Hardy Boys and eventually I made my way into the 5th grade section while I was only 10. This would expand into me reading sections of my World History, Science and English textbooks for fun!

I say all of this because my love for reading began with a grown up who was passionate about teaching me how to read. There are many ways to encourage the love of reading in school and at home and I'd like to share five ways you can help Inspire the love of reading for your children or students!

1.Accessible Shelving With Rotated Books

- For the first 3 years of their early literacy development, it is of great importance to meet the child where they are. Shelves that are set at eye level with books spaced apart to show their covers are highly recommended. Rotating books each week allows for fresh reading materials to keep their interest.

2. Age Appropriate and Appealing Books

• For ages 2-3 books must be brightly colored with large letter font and lots of pictures!For ages 3-4 I recommend books that have short simple sentences and associated pictures, for ages 5-6 more mature sentences that form short paragraphs can be introduced with associating pictures.

3. Decorated/Themed reading corners

• Children naturally gravitate to things that are bright, cheery and interesting, they also make great use of assigned areas as it helps develop a sense of boundaries and space for specific tasks. Creating an area specifically for reading by incorporating little elements of reading, For example: butterflies that look like books hanging on the walls, maybe a character from one of their favorite stories standing beside the shelf inviting them to read, or a scene from their favorite story painted out for them to see. Cozy pillows that are large enough to sit on or a small couch, a nice bright carpet and a few pictures could really do nicely to reinforce a feeling of comfort as it coincides with reading.

4. Regular trips to the Library

• Reading doesn’t have to end at school or home, exposing your children to the world of literature through access to their public library will do wonders to their growing curiosity and quest for knowledge. It is here that your child will begin to make connections between what they read and the world around them.

5.Read with your children!

• More often than not, children take a keen interest in the adult world and what we ourselves are interested in. Have you ever been deeply engrossed in watching a show and then your child comes to see what you are watching, they’ll look at you periodically to see your reactions and mimic them. Children mirror our behaviors, developing healthy reading habits begin with us, story time with those they love and trust can really do well to encourage a positive view of the literary world.

I hope that this helps! May you and your children/students have a happy reading :) and as always…

“For the love of life and literature, stay prayerful, stay positive and write on!”