Oprah Winfrey said “Books were my pass to personal freedom. I learned to read at age three, and soon discovered there was a whole world to conquer that went beyond our farm in Mississippi.”

Raising a reader

Nurturing the love for books and reading is one of the best things you can do for a toddler. It enriches their minds and exposes them to the world around them in a way no other medium can match. The earlier you start the process, the better for your child. An early reader will get a leg up in first grade and will find school more interesting.

While there are a hundred and one strategies you can try out to cultivate the love for books in your toddler, I prefer to distill the process into 3 core steps that you can do at home:

1.    Books in the home

Of course you can make use of your local library but if you are serious about raising a reader you have to have books, all types of books in the home. Research has it that you need at least 20 books to make an impact. The books do not have to be new. You can also have family and friends give children’s books as gifts along with the customary gifts for kids like toys and clothes.

2.    Be a reader yourself

I wish there was a way round this one. Parents are busy, juggling so much and have limited time to pick up a book. We can make time for what is important to us, if raising a reader is important to you; you definitely have to do this one. Having your toddler see you reading reinforces their own desires to do the same, Monkey see-monkey do.

3.    Get relevant children’s books

Is your toddler facing any challenge currently? There are children’s books addressing every conceivable challenge a child might be facing. Get your toddler books about what interests them. My son is into dinosaurs at the moment so I look out for dinosaur theme books and floor puzzles. Toddlers are known for their fickle attention span but you have a far better chance of keeping them engaged in a book if it is based on their interest.

You can start with these three steps and everything else will fall in place and you will be on your way to raising a reader!

Next: Books your 1 year old will love

By Bola Ajumobi - Bola is a mom of 2 and owner of SlimyBookworm.com, an online children’s bookstore where you will find an assortment of books for young children that will ignite their imagination. 20% of profits go towards literacy efforts in the under-served.