Reading is a fundamental part of a child’s development, allowing them to build the language skills they’ll use as they grow older. It is essential for nurturing vocabulary, reading comprehension, creativity, and even emotional aspects like empathy. However, it’s not easy to get your child to sit down with a book, especially with so many distractions that can capture their attention.
The digital age only makes this endeavor more challenging, as tablets or TVs can hold more appeal compared to books.
However, you can take advantage of this rise in technology to encourage your child to read. Ebooks offer a new and engaging way to read stories while being accessible and convenient. They can also be just as effective as print books; a study published in the International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health found that ebook stories improve phonological awareness and vocabulary as compared to traditional stories.
If your child is already using a tablet frequently, make the most of their screen time by reading ebooks with them to boost their knowledge and skills and keep them entertained. Here’s how you can use ebooks to nurture your child’s love for reading:
Explore diverse genres and topics
It can be difficult to encourage your child to read if they haven’t found something they like reading about yet. Fortunately, there’s no shortage of ebooks of various genres and topics to explore. You will surely find something that will resonate with your child and keep them hooked!
To leverage the diversity of ebooks, you can use platforms that offer access to thousands of them, allowing you to browse through classic reads, trending titles, or hidden gems your child may enjoy.
The selection of children’s ebooks listed on Everand is rich with characters, stories, and lessons that can captivate your child. Tiny T. Rex and the Impossible Hug by Jonathan Stutzman and Jay Fleck can teach your child the value of perseverance and overcoming obstacles and wow them with adorable illustrations.
Exciting reads like Pete the Cat: Super Pete by James Dean and Kimberly Dean can thrill young readers while still being easy to read along with. Your child can also learn about things like colors and plants with ebooks like Lois Elhert’s Planting a Rainbow. Don’t be afraid to let your child take the reins and browse through the selection; they might spot something you wouldn’t have thought to check out!
Read together
Ebooks can encourage children to read independently, but like with print books, reading together or being present with your child can help you make the most of the format. Reading to and with your child helps them learn how to read and develop language skills. As noted by the Child Mind Institute, doing so exposes them to new words and new ways of using language and gives them more information about the world.
It can also help build empathy and process emotions; when you ask your child about a character’s feelings and experiences, they can find the language and skills to better articulate and cope with their own and notice them in others. It’s also a great way to bond!
Reading aloud can help children hear how words sound, and you can keep them hooked and entertained with funny voices and dramatic expressions. You can also utilize tools like a dictionary or thesaurus for extra help with defining big or unfamiliar words and guide your child through the story with questions and observations.
This also makes it easier for them to stay engaged with the story and learn from its contents, allowing them to foster a better appreciation for books and reading.
Mix print books and ebooks
Ebooks are an excellent and accessible reading resource for kids, but combining them with print books can also make for an enriching experience! Mixing print books and ebooks can make reading more interesting, and both formats can offer something unique to the reading experience. Children can enjoy the physical aspect of turning pages and holding print books in their hands, while the interactivity of ebooks can offer new ways to consume a story.
A library card for your local library can give you access to the best of both worlds. You can access these resources for free with one, whether by visiting the library to read and borrow print books or accessing ebooks through library reading apps like Libby that can be downloaded onto a smartphone or tablet.
This allows your child to become aware of various ways to read and access books, broadening their horizons and helping them develop their own interests in reading.
Enjoy interactivity
One of the best parts about ebooks is their interactive features that can keep children engaged with the story. Some ebooks have narration features that offer captivating audio and voice acting. You can also toggle this tool so you can take the place of the narrator and do the reading aloud with your child.
Some ebooks also have interactive objects for children to find and touch, and animations can breathe life into the story and surprise kids with every turn of the page. The Very Hungry Caterpillar– First Words ebook app presents the book in a unique format that resembles a pop-up book, with 3D illustrations from the author, Eric Carle.
Tapping on the images allows children to hear and see the associated words, offering a powerful tool for learning new words and reinforcing what they already know.
To make use of these interactive features wisely, focus first on the story and read through it first before exploring the touchable objects or animations. This keeps them from getting distracted while reading but still enables them to enjoy the play aspect of ebooks.
You can even go beyond what the ebook offers and take play into the real world. Our “35 Creative Ways to Encourage Your Preschooler to Read” post suggests turning reading into a dress-up adventure or treasure hunt. You can show kids that reading can be fun even outside their tablets, encouraging them to love reading itself rather than just the interactivity aspect of ebooks.
