By Nur Anwar Hilmi Bin Mohd Abd Malek

It’s undeniable that a child’s reading skills are important to their success in school, work, and life in general. And it is very possible to help ensure your child’s success by reading to them starting at a very early age.  A good parent will always strive to foster a child with the love of reading. Reading helps with the process of understanding and comprehending words and storyline, focusing attention by enhancing listening and analytical thinking, and creating and building confidence and empathy. By encouraging a love of reading, we can give children a way to learn and explore while having fun.

However, how do we apply the culture of reading and to love books among children? or are they excited by the presence of books?  Nurturing reading behaviour in children since their young age will help them develop their mind and enhance their memory, emotional intelligence, and imagination.

Developed countries put a lot of emphasis on reading culture that is nurtured from childhood. To form a developed and competitive society, passion and love for books must be instilled from childhood.  In the West for example, the culture of reading books to children is a very common practice for them. For example, parents who read bedtime story to their children can stimulate the children to have an active imagination while entertaining them at the same time.

Activities like reading imaginatively together with children can enhance their receptive language skills and help build their imagination through the sharing of stories and exchange of information while also giving children a chance to tell their own stories.  These story books will inspire these children and in turns they will associate the activity of reading books with pleasure.   Entrusting children with the ownership of their own books will also help develop a sense of responsibility in cherishing and caring books that belong to them to build character as they grow older.

It is important to ensure that reading habits do not cease due to technology and modernization. It is essential for our young generation to develop love for books and reading.  These simple acts can really benefit the children as reading develops the mind in terms of memory and emotional intelligence. It is the process of understanding which enables information retention, and it improves language skills including vocabulary. And most importantly, reading definitely has the positive power to inspire and give more value to life.

Tarikh Input: 11/07/2023 | Kemaskini: 11/07/2023 | hairul_nizam