It’s easy to see why so many children regard reading as a cumbersome chore. Most of them spend each school day reading and listening to people read, so by the time they get home, reading is typically among the last things they want to do. Since they’ve come to associate reading with schoolwork, they tend to regard the term “pleasure reading” as an oxymoron. While their rationale is somewhat understandable, pleasure reading is highly conducive to developing above-average reading comprehension and writing skills. Parents looking to instill the importance of pleasure reading in their kids should put the following pointers to good use.

Increase Their Reading Comprehension

Some children’s disdain for reading stems from an inability to do it very well. If this describes your child, make a point of investing in comprehensive reading programs. The right programs will provide lessons and materials designed to boost reading comprehension in a timely and low-stress manner. Some kids are liable to push back against attempts at helping them hone their reading abilities, but sticking a well-designed reading program prove tremendous beneficial both their academic performance and willingness to engage in pleasure reading. The better a child’s reading comprehension, the more apt that child will be to pursue reading as a hobby.

Make Trips to the Library Part of Their Usual Routine

If a child is allowed to choose their own reading material, they’re liable to be more amenable to pleasure reading. Since the reading material at school is typically assigned to them, being able to select their own books can feel very liberating. As such, parents should make trips to local libraries and/or bookstores part of their children’s usual routine. When visiting these locales, encourage your kids to indulge in any age-appropriate book that catches their attention. Even the choosiest child is liable to find at least one or two things that strike their interest.

Have an Open Mind With Regard to Graphic Novels

As long as a book is age-appropriate, your child should be allowed to read it in their leisure time.This is particularly true in the case of comics and graphic novels. Unfortunately, because of the abundance of illustrations featured therein, many parents don’t regard graphic novels as acceptable reading material. Not only is this reasoning incorrect, it can also inhibit a child’s interest in the printed page. Graphic novels can expose children to a variety of immersive stories and interesting characters and act as a stepping stone to more ambitious reading projects.

Since many children spend their school days and study periods reading, the desire to engage in this activity during their leisure time is understandably low. However, reading for pleasure is a key part of developing solid reading and writing abilities. With this in mind, parents should make an active effort to encourage children to read for fun. The more enjoyment a child derives from reading, the more reading they’re likely to do – and the more reading they do, the better off they’ll be in virtually every area of life.

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