Kids loving reading

This is a Book Week guest post by Linda Jones of Freelancewritingtips.com. Linda is currently writing a book about helping primary school children to love reading.

Reading can help our children fly, without leaving their room, swim without getting wet and sample a giant peach without being told not to be so silly.

Studies have shown that reading with our children can be crucial, from when they are babes in arms until the day they first set foot in a classroom.

You don’t have to watch their eyes glaze over as you regale them with some worthy but dull tale of archaic life, you can fire their imagination with stories of daring and intrigue. Or if you are anything like me, you’ll favour silly stories – daft ones to make their cheeks glisten with tears of laughter.

I can remember reading Gogol’s The Nose at school, and laughing so much I wanted to wee (I didn’t thankfully, would have played havoc with my uniform…) and now it makes my heart soar to see my daughters eagerly sampling books by the likes of Harry Hill and David Walliams.

These may not be everyone’s cup of tea, but I favour books that are funny, lively and accessible – engaging for children from any background, not just privileged middle class homes where dance classes and keyboard are the order of the day. Just as mine is now.

Reading little and often can be the door to a whole new world for children, wherever they start off in life. It certainly was for me, the first person in my family to go on the further education. My mum and dad were so proud.

But my mum worked hard to give us what she could and books were always a gift she could rely on. She helped make reading fun – she also helped make going to the cinema fun, watching telly fun and eating fun. Good one, Mum.

But when I remember my childhood, I also recall the special books she bought me, I remember when and I remember why – a poetry book instead of fireworks, a book about local legends on a trip to a market, a book by Garrison Keillor when I left home.

Now I’ve also written books and I have two more on the way.

One is all about helping primary school aged children love reading. I’m so excited at the prospect. To be able to help make the difference my mum did, is an amazing opportunity. Bring it on.

Here are some tips from the BBC on helping your child to enjoy books:

• Encourage your child to pretend to ‘read’ a book before he or she can read words.
• Visit the library as often as possible – take out CDs and DVDs as well as books.
• Schedule a regular time for reading – perhaps when you get home from school or just before bed.
• Buy dual-language books if English isn’t your family’s first language – you can talk about books and stories, and develop a love for them, in any language.
• Look for books on topics that you know your child is interested in – maybe dragons, insects, cookery or a certain sport.
• Make sure that children’s books are easily accessible in different rooms around your house.

You can find Linda at Freelancewritingtips.com and on Twitter.