Tuesday, April 5, 2011

Making a bookworm out of our offspring.

 Being books lovers ourselves (though we have very different preference in genre!), The Husband and I wish to see our offspring enjoying reading. And the best way to do it, we think, is to begin from young and make it fun! 

Back in the days when I was preggy with Anya, we would read her bedtime stories before we go to bed.  I remember being amazed that she always become especially active, kicking around, during story time. These days, besides having some books available for her own browsing in the day, we continue the bedtime stories tradition - we try to do character's voice/accent these days.

As all parents will know, board books can be very costly! So, my strategy to cut cost and yet have a variety is this:
  1. Look out for cheap buys. We have bought some really good and cheap books at the most unlikely places such as Fairprice Finest. 
  2. I only splurge on titles that are Anya's favourites (e.g. Veggietales and those that has sounds). 
  3. When I do splurge, I try to purchase online where there are usually substantial savings. Christianbooks.com is one of my favourite. 
  4. For added variety, we go to the community library. Here, I borrow titles that coincide with her development (e.g. Pony brush his teeth, Happy birthday Little Pookie), knowing that it does not make economical sense to purchase such titles, and other titles that helps to widen her exposure. 
The pirates who don't do anything!

We can see that it is beginning to pay off as Anya will point at a particular board-book and sign "please". At the end of the story, she would hug the book greedily (like what she does with her favourite stuffed toys) to indicate that she wants the book to go into the cot with her. 

Yes, I think we have a budding bookworm. :)

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