Become a Bookworm

· Provide a wide range of reading materials in your home. In addition to books, magazines and newspapers are important.

· Demonstrate how reading provides you with practical information. Show your child what you learn from reading, i.e. get a chocolate chip cookie recipe from a magazine or instructions on how to repair a lamp from a how-to book.

· Read aloud to your children everyday. Begin this routine when they are infants and don`t stop when they learn to read by themselves. Even school-age children enjoy listening to stories read out loud.

· Encourage your pre-schoolers to tell you stories based on pictures they see in books and magazines. When your children learn to read, encourage them to read aloud to you.

· Take your children to the library frequently and show them how to select their own books. The children`s librarian can help you do this.

· Encourage your children to talk about books they`ve read. Plan activities related to books they enjoyed. For example, plan a trip to the zoo after reading a book about animals.

· Children enjoy hearing the same story over and over again, so try to share their enthusiasm for a familiar book or character.