Visit 27th Muscat International Book Fair and instill a love of reading

T-Mag Tuesday 21/February/2023 21:55 PM
By: Times News Service
Visit 27th Muscat International Book Fair and instill a love of reading

Did you know that kids who read at least 20 minutes a day are exposed to around two million words a year? But, how do you build a love of reading in your children? According to a recent study, daily reading improves language development in infants aged 12 months and younger. Keeping in mind the endless benefits  of reading books, why not make the best use of the ongoing 27th Muscat International Book Fair that started on 22 February and will continue till 4th March.

Muscat International Book Fair is an opportunity for people with knowledge, including readers, researchers, academics, and students in various languages, as it includes programmes for families and children due to their importance in educational and skills nutrition. It also includes a series of interactive cultural events and seminars that are held during the Fair period. The 11-day literary extravaganza is being held at Oman Convention and Exhibition Centre. Around 32 countries are participating.

According to a recent study conducted by researchers at Marshall University's Joan C. Edwards School of Medicine, daily reading improve language development in infants aged 12 months and younger. The results of the study, which is based on well-established research on early language development in toddlers 12 months and older, showed that infants who were consistently read to every day, starting at two weeks old and continuing until nine months old, showed improved language scores.

When you read to your child, they are thinking about the story. As you read, you can help them improve and develop their critical thinking skills by asking them questions. This will also help them later in life with reading comprehension. You can ask questions like, “what do you think will happen next” or “why do you think the character did this.” Keep the questions on their level but give them a chance to get involved in the story.

Why read with children? This is a critical component of teaching children to read because it helps to encourage them to develop independent reading skills.You are your child’s first teacher, and you probably already know that children will mimic what you do. When they see your reading, they will want to learn how to read.
When listening to you, they will learn how fun a story can be and will want to be able to understand the words in books themselves.

The first six years of your child’s life are a significant time for learning. Your child will go through periods of development that allow them to understand the world.Books have the potential to allow your children to learn a lot. For example, consider popular children’s books like The Very Hungry Caterpillar or Chicka Chicka Boom Boom.

Reading together with your child every day creates a healthy habit. By surrounding your little one with books, they will grow up and be adults who love to read.

A lifelong love of reading will help your child continue to learn for school or work as an adult. It will also encourage them to continue reading for fun and learning.