Author: giftedfamilyinstitute

Children’s books provide kids with a way of learning that is unlike any other.  Suppose your child had to sit for several hours in a classroom. When he comes home from school, and you ask him what he learned today, he’s likely to say, “Nothing.”  Even worse, when it’s time for you to help with homework he doesn’t remember a thing about what the teacher taught him. How can this be? It’s simple. Learning through lecture is boring and dull.  How many high school or college courses do you remember sleeping through? But, books for children offer a new way of teaching your child. Consider what it can do to help your child learn how to cope with all types of things in life.

Today’s children go through all types of problems ranging from divorce of their parents to problems with peers at school.  Sometimes death, separation and even anger play a role in their everyday lives. If any of these situations are happening in your child’s life now it can be one thing to you:  DEVASTING. There’s no way for you to ultimately protect your child from everything that can or will happen to them. In more ways than one, they are likely to experience problems with something in their lifetime.  If it happens when they are children, though, it’s up to you to help them to get through it.

Books Share Life Lessons on How to Cope With a Situation

Books can be used to help your child cope with learn life lessons. They probably will push you away when you ask to talk about what’s happening at school or with that girl that he likes.  He may get very distant when he hears you and your spouse fighting. You should always do your best to communicate with your child on a first person basis, but when this is not enough, use books to help him get through it.

Children can learn from stories of other children too going through that are going through things. They can learn how to handle what’s happening. That it’s okay to feel what they feel and most importantly to understand that it’s not their fault, which is a common feeling of children.  With the help of books, they can see how they aren’t alone, too. Books can help your child learn how to cope, learn and grow from a situation.

Click here to watch a Free webinar on how to write your own kid’s book.

You want your child to read but the books for children that you’ve given him don’t seem to interest him.  Even worse, he hates to read. What’s happening and what can you do about it to encourage your child get back into reading?  You know it’s important not only today but for the rest of his life. Perhaps the question lies in what type of books you are providing your child.  Remember, each child is different and with that comes a responsibility of the parent to take their uniqueness and enhance it with the right books and the right experiences.  By finding the right book for your child, you can ultimately help him to enjoy reading.

Three Steps to Find The Right Books For Children

You know your child more than anyone.  But, you still need a few hints to help you provide your child with the right stories for their use.  Here are some to consider.

•    Let your child explore the library with you watching from a distance.  Older children will gravitate towards the types of books that they enjoy, not the ones that you want them to read.  By observing them, you can use their book choices as a guide to help you make decisions about books for them.

•    With younger children, pick out a group of stories that are all different.  Different topics as well as different ways of the story being told are important to consider.  Find out which they liked the best.

•    Expose your child to a new style of book.  If she always reads love stories and its getting old, encourage her to try out a short mystery or a novel about history. This way, she gets the exposure to a different type of genre that could potentially help her expand her horizons.

Probably the most important thing that you can do to improve your child’s ability and willingness to read is to play a role in it.  Allow them to choose books that interest them, not just books that are educational either. The more types of books that they read, the better off they are.  But, forcing books that they don’t like down their throats will cause them to hate to read, something you don’t want to do. Books for children can be found in many variations, perfect for every child.

Click here to watch a Free webinar on how to write your own kid’s book.

Books for children are made by the thousands every year.  Most of those that are written are designed to provide a fun story for a child to catch their interest.  There is no doubt that many of the books you find on shelves are designed to sell more books, such as in series. 

Yet, that’s not a bad thing because these books keep children reading, an important consideration no matter what.  Educational books can be some of the very best books for children. Children of all ages (even those that really aren’t children any more) can expand their minds with the help of books that are focused on real things including educational elements.

Keys to Mixing Fun with Learning

The key is to find a book that can provide an educational experience to the child and also provide a story that’s fun and interesting.  This is the key to any successful story for a child. Let’s say that you want a book that will teach your child why it is important to brush his teeth. It doesn’t matter how many times you tell, yell or force him to do it, the end result is forgetfulness, exhausting and he still walks out of the house in the morning without brushing his teeth. But, what if you could provide this type of encouragement with a story?

There are many stories that do just that.  Consider a story about a teacher that is educating her class on various aspects of science by taking them on wild adventures around the world.  With a few colorful characters and well placed dialog, the story provides for education but also a fun and maybe even humorous style to it. Which book do you think your child would rather read?  Would they prefer a textbook style book or would they be more interested in a fun story that makes them laugh while they learn?

The good news is that there are more and more writers developing stories that can provide fun educational learning.  You’ll find them available everywhere. Choose stories because they interest your child and keep them learning. But, choose stories too because of what’s inside them.  The combination of mixing fun with learning are the best children’s books for you to use. It’s what children will grow remembering the most.

Click here to watch a Free webinar on how to write your own kid’s book.

You buy books for your children.  You give them, or force them, to sit down and read them.  You encourage reading, there’s no doubt about it, but do you actually set the example?  

Studies have shown that those parents that read and allow their children to see them reading have children that read.  Just like many other things in your life, reading is something your children will learn by many times by watching what you do.  If you never pick up a book, often, they’ll only do it when they have to. Set the example and read.

Books For Children And Your Role

There are many ways that you can set the example of reading with your children.  Here are a few examples to help make that happen.

•    Begin reading as a group.  For one hour a week, everyone gets to come into the living room, turn off the television, silence phone, remove other distractions and read together.  You could read a very good book out loud together or you could read silently with each family member having their own book.  

Whatever you do, read.

•    Go to the library together and each person pick out their own favorite type of book.  You can encourage this by letting them see you find your favorite types of books and to get them read.  Make sure that you actually read them when you bring them home, though!

•    Make it interesting.  Each person in the family picks their favorite book of all time and then gets to switch it with the favorite of someone else’.  Mom and dad have to play a long too. This works well for children that are older, but for younger ones, encourage helpful to pick your favorite stories from when you were a child.

•    Make it rewarding.  Make sure that everyone has a chance to earn something for completing their book.  Whether it is dinner out or just a fun movie for the family, when everyone completes a book, celebrate by sharing the stories you enjoyed reading on your outing. This make reading even more fun because everyone get to tell the rest of the family what the story was about.

If you set the example and read with your child, chances are excellent that she’ll keep reading long after you stop.  That’s a good thing and by giving them the right children’s books, a child will excel in various areas of life.

Click here to watch a Free webinar on how to write your own kid’s book.

There are many different books for children on the market.  Many children enjoy reading. But, even children that don’t like to read can really learn to love it if they are given the right types of books to stimulate their minds and the right level of skill to prosper.  

Books can make a child feel alive.  They can open doors and help to teach creativity, values, beliefs, feelings, confidence, self-esteem and how to be good person.

Stories can do a better job at this than many parents can.  That’s just because children find stories entertaining and parents boring sometimes.  But, the one problem that many parents have when it comes to stories and books is the cost.  How can you afford to give your child books that are fun to read, keep them busy and teach them valuable lessons?

Tips To Make It More Affordable

Here are a number of tips that you can use to help parents and children to use books that are purchased affordably.

• The library’s free.  The library is a great place to look for books.  Most areas have a library and if not it is well worth traveling to.  If a child picks a few books, reads them and brings them back, you are also teaching them to be responsible, a very important goal.  The only drawback about libraries happens when there is a book that child really wants. They may have to wait to get it. 

• Book clubs are an excellent tool for children’s books.  Sometimes these can be found at the library or they can be found in preschools.  You can set up your own, too. Book clubs often have books available that can be shared by those involved.  You can even read the same book at the same time and allow the children to talk about it together.

• Books swaps are available on the web.  There are some real benefits to using these because you can constantly have great books coming into your home that you don’t have to pay for.  What’s more, you keep others with the same opportunity.

Books for children can be found affordably whether they are on sale or they are offered elsewhere.  Your goal is to provide children books that can truly be loved and be inspiring.

Click here to watch a Free webinar on how to write your own kid’s book.

Give your child a lifelong love for reading by selecting books they’ll love. Remember what fascinated you when you were little and consider what librarians have discovered over the years.

The New York Public Library recently published a list of 100 great children’s books from the past 100 years along with a special exhibit of children’s literature. Take a look at their suggestions and other tips for helping your kids find awesome reading materials.

New York Public Library Suggestions for Children’s Books

1. See if you like it. Great books appeal to all ages. Share your childhood favorites with your sons and daughters. Think of the trip you’ll have down memory lane as you read them together years later. You may also discover some new titles and learn something new along with your kids.
   
   
2. Look at the illustrations. The pictures matter as much as the text. Images help you interpret the story. However, books without words can give kids the chance to create their own masterpieces.
   
   
3. Welcome diversity. Tales from other lands introduce your children to new cultures. You can talk about what life is like for people in other parts of the world.
   
   
4. Get a little scared. It’s natural for parents to be protective, but we all need to face our fears. Fiction is a safe way for kids to explore dark woods and meet monsters in the safety of their own home. This experience prepares them for real life challenges.
   
   
5. Check for deeper messages. Moral instruction is an important part of literature. Think about the Velveteen Rabbit. He learns that being real sometimes hurts, but it’s worth it. You become authentic and loved, even if you look a little shabby.

More Ideas on Selecting Children’s Books

1. Encourage kids to pick their own titles. Head to your local library or a bookstore. Let your kids decide what to bring home as long as it’s wholesome and age appropriate.
   
   
2. Know when to drop it. If your child seems bored with a story, put it aside for later. Switch to something that captivates them. Keep story time fun!
   
   
3. Understand reading levels. Check the publisher’s recommendations on the book jacket. Reading levels are mostly determined by the vocabulary and complexity of the story. If your child has to look up more than five words per page, the book is probably too complicated for them.
4. Describe familiar events. Children like hearing about their own lives and interests. Favorite subjects might include the adventures of a family pet, welcoming a new baby sister, or visiting with grandparents.
   
   
5. Engage in fantasy. On the other hand, make believe characters and worlds have a magic of their own. Let your child exercise his power of imagination with The Hobbit or Harry Potter.

• Complete the series. If you’re stumped about what to read next, serials make your work easier. Try works that are published in a series or browse online for recommendations that are similar to books your child already loves.
  
  
• Rhyme and repeat. There’s a good reason why children love watching the same cartoon endlessly. Many of the words are still new to them so repetition is reassuring. Text with repeating and rhyming lines also makes it easier for your children to join in and read to you.
  
  
• Use other media. Books are excellent, but there are many other ways to encourage reading. Shop for comic books and graphic novels. Make a game out of grocery shopping or driving home by observing the signs around you.

Reading with your children creates pleasure, builds their language skills and knowledge base, and helps them to do better in school. Make story time even better by choosing books that will enthrall them. If you are feeling inspired, write and publish your own children’s book. Check out our Free Training for another idea to get your children excited about the joys of reading.