How do children develop reading habits?
Parents and guardians play a prominent role by reading for them from early age, especially at bedtime. Parents should be role models by developing a habit of reading as a favorite pastime, and by creating conducive environment for children to do the same. Reading and acting out stories by educators in nurseries and primary schools nurture children’s interest in books and reading. Such encouragement by parents and educators should be supported by the availability of good quality reading materials, which can hook children to reading habits. Support to talented children’s writers and illustrators are therefore equally important. To overcome the obstacles of poverty and lack of resources, nurseries, schools and kebele or other community centers can be helped to form children’s library which provide reading rooms and book lending services. The encouragement to writers and illustrators could be achieved through fund raising, public appreciation of their contributions, literary reviews and so
