Families For Life | Here's why you should start a family book club!
Help your child discover a love for learning by starting a cosy book club at home! Whether you’re reading aloud to your little one or raising thought-provoking questions with your teen, a book club is a great way to ease your child into the fascinating world of books.
Here are three reasons why starting your family book club is a good idea:
#1 Stories are a great way to learn about the world
Sharing and telling stories offer powerful benefits for children. For the little ones, story time can support early development by familiarising them with new sounds, words, and language. Stories also fuel a child’s imagination and spark curiosity!
With stories, you can also help your child understand change and process unfamiliar events. Discussing them and sharing your thoughts on these events can help them understand strong emotions in a safe and supportive space.
#2 Books can teach new languages
With your book club, you have the freedom to read and share stories in any language you choose! It’s a great opportunity to introduce your child to their mother tongue by exploring books in that language together. To get started, you can visit the library and find dual-language books that match your child’s literacy level.
#3 You get more family time together!
Say ‘yes’ to more family time with your book club! Setting aside regular time each week to read and reflect not only strengthens your bonds but creates a safe, supportive space for your child to open up, whether it’s about a story or something on their mind. Don’t forget to have fun and build lifelong memories together!
Now that you know how rewarding a family book club can be, here are some simple tips to help you kick things off.
Pick a time to gather for stories. Try gathering an hour before bed or spending an afternoon together over the weekend! If your child has a limited attention span, it helps to keep the sessions brief. If they start losing interest in the story, try switching to another book!
Set up a comfy corner for reading. Bring snacks, turn on the air-conditioning and get comfy on the sofa or the bed! Make sure the environment is quiet enough so your child can hear you.
Remove any distractions. During book club sessions, make it a rule to have the TV off and put all screens away.
Let your child pick the books each week. Create a new family routine and head to the library every weekend to choose books for the book club! Let your child pick out the books they want to read, but offer suggestions to help them discover new interests. However, if your child struggles to find an intriguing book, you can’t go wrong with top of the chart books!
Have fun with it! Try funny sounds and involve your child by talking about the pictures in the book. Let your child ask questions and discuss the book together!
A love for reading is important to help your child find success in the world. Starting your book club will also give you more opportunities to bond with your child. So, grab a book, get some snacks and start your book club together with your family!
Resources:
https://familiesforlife.sg/pages/fflparticle/Newborn-Reading-and-Storytelling
https://www.penguin.co.uk/discover/childrens-articles/how-to-start-a-parent-and-child-book-club