How do you instill a love for reading in your children?

As a child, I loved to read -- storybooks, magazines, comic books -- almost anything that was worth reading, I’d read it! Reading 'transported' me to different places and times, and taught me many things about life. I’d also like to believe that it is because of my love for reading that I am able to do what I do today -- write for a living -- even if I have no formal writing education whatsoever.

Naturally, now that I’m a parent, I want my children to grow up with a love for reading too. I want them to discover the beauty of the written word, and the power that it has to unlock mysteries and open their eyes to the beauty and brilliance that is in the world. To be perfectly honest, I believe that once a child can read and loves to read, there is no stopping him or her from learning all there is to learn about anything under the sun!

However, as most modern parents like me know, it can be quite challenging to raise readers in this day and age where gadgets abound, and everything can be 'discovered' more easily with a few swipes of one’s finger or a few clicks here and there. It can even be tempting to say, "Why do we need to read books to learn stuff? Hey, that’s what Google is for, right?"

But we all know that Google and technology have its place in the world, and so do books and reading. Yes, even in our high-tech world, I believe that there is a need for us to raise more readers.

Tips for encouraging a love for reading in children

So how do you instill a love for reading in your kids? Here are a few tips:

1. Model reading.

Let your kids see you read too -- preferably not on your gadgets or computer. Develop the habit of reading daily.

2. Read to your children.

Children develop a love for reading when you spend a dedicated amount of time reading to them. Start when they are still babies and continue even if they can already read on their own. Even just 15 minutes a day will do.

3. Choose quality books that have stood the test of time.

Scour children’s booklists to find out which books are ideal for your kids. You won’t go wrong with classics that are still popular to this day, and winners of awards such as the Caldecott Medal or Newbery Award.

4. Learn from more experienced parents.

When I am unsure about how to encourage my kids to love reading, I consult other parents who know better than me, and seek their inputs.

An invitation to the Raising Readers event on April 12, 2014

In relation to the last tip mentioned above, my fellow homeschoolers from TheLearningBasket.com will be giving a seminar on Raising Readers on April 12 from 9 a.m. to 11 a.m. at Medela House, Quezon City.

The speaker, Sanne Unson, is specializing in reading and has been enrolled for a while now in a language and literacy course at the University of the Philippines. For more details, including fees and how to register, please visit The Learning Basket’s website here.

What tips can YOU share to help instill a love for reading in children? Let us know in the comments or send me a Tweet @tinasrodriguez.