Reading train - Improve your reading skills

By what age have children formed the habit, or taken up the hobby, of reading fiction?

Reading novels is a hobby - it's a thing some people do in their spare time. I'd like to know if this can be established at any age, or if it usually at forms at some early age and much more rarely at a later one - and if so, what age? And in particular, at what age would attempts to encourage the reading of fiction become a waste of time? Any sources or statistics would be welcome.

Public Comments

1. My 7 year old got into fiction at the age of 6, because of the books he reads he know ask for other books by the same author. regards x Kitti x
2. >> Before the child can read, encouragement & interest begins by you reading interesting/funny stories to the child ~ generates an interest in literature ~ when they can read, if they are genuinely interested, keep reading stories to them & get them to read some of it to you ~ The newspaper is good too (You choose the topics from the paper for them of course ~ so there's no nasty stories that may frighten them) while you are busy cooking or something, sit them down in the room where you are & say you are very busy & don't have time to read the paper & would they mind reading some of it to you. Even just running through the Headlines. Take them to the library & sign up, let them browse through the kids section & choose their own books to read. Hope this helps. Ciao!
3. The first stories a child hears and learns to read with are fiction. Most children have a concept of fact or fiction by the thrid grade. The question should be is when do children begin to devolpe a love for reading? That has many varaibles such as parental and peer inflluence. learning disadbilities, personality and all the aspects of culture. If you can't get a child to read it may be because he or she is not up to reading level and they are embarrsed. A few teechniques you could try is popcorn reading with the family. Get a book all the family may enjoy and read it allowed as family forcing no one to read but all to participate by listening. (Popcorn reading is reading where everyone has their own copy of the story and people just read how much they want to and for as long as they want.) Another thing to do is read a play before you go see it preformed and then after the play go out for or make a special treat and talk about the expectations you had from reading the play and if the director fullfilled these expectations or not.
4. ia'm a spanish teacherRetired) and my kids both of them started reading at age 5, they always show interest inbooks at that early age, i read to both of them from when , i were pregnant with them, I started out with Disney Collections Books, because most of they favorites cartoons was Disney so i went from there, we spent a lot of time in the library, they check out their own books with my supervision and age appropiated,I read children popular books to them and they both read to me, twice a week we would have a reading competician with the family, we all would pick out our favorite books , and read our favorite pages, and talk about what!? we like the best about our book, and name some of the characters ,and things they did and like ; and i will order books, from they school club, and enter them in different reading competitions children likes all of these kind of things, most kids will learn how to read, if you encourage reading to them at an early age, and get them the books that they like , and at this age they show interest in having a best friend ,which is very good, because they read together, and developped all kind of learning skill, with out even noticing. Most kids love to read, especialy if they have a book they like, and the ones that can't read yet will memorize, some of the pages inthe books, and even add they own words and idea, so yes it's good that they forme the habit or take up the hobby of reading fiction or any other book, they find interesting. take care.
5. I can't remember a time when I didn't read fiction - my mum taught me my alphabet before I went to school and established a reading routine right from the start - including a weekly trip to the mobile library where I got to choose my own books. Reading is something that needs to be encouraged in the home. My routine even now is to read every night before I go to sleep. I think reading can be encouraged at any age, but it's better to start younger!
6. My niece was reading Mr Men age 3 on her own and could not wait for us to get the next one.
7. Children form all habits by imitating others, usually in the first instance, their parent(s) and later on their peers. If you, as a parent are seen to read regularly for your own pleasure, then your children will wish to copy you. Encourage them to ask you what you are reading. You do not have to go into great details. BUT most importantly - read to your children - every single day, if possible. The best time is bed time. After a bath, when your child is warm, relaxed and sleepy, cuddle up on his/her bed with him/her and read a story. If you're not sure what to read look in any infant classroom's book shelf. "The Tiger who came to Tea," "Owl Babies," etc. And build up your child's own collection, on a shelf, his/her own library of which he/she can be proud. Read the same story over again, young children love knowing what's going to happen. Take them to the library and get them their own ticket. Let them choose their own books. Another way to read (this is how my mom and dad taught me to read before I was 4yrs old) to your child is to sit in a comfy armchair with your child between your legs and the book infront of both of you and read slowly, pointing to each word as you read it. Don't stop to ask questions unless he/she asks you something, but, at the end of the story ask the child a few simple questions such as , "Did you like it?" "Which bit was best?" etc. Teaching a child to read and cultivating a love of books (and at this stage they will be fiction) is the most important thing a parent can pass to their child, assuming the usual parental things can be taken for granted, that is. I don't think it is ever too late to encourage children to read fiction. As a primary teacher I think I may have encouraged recalcitrant readers to take to it by reading good fiction to them in serial form in class, or maybe short stories to younger primary children. For 6 to 8 yrs I love the stories of "Nicholas and the Gang" by Rene Goscinny and for slightly older children I love "The Turbulent Term of Tyke Tyler" by Gene Kemp. This has a fab ending which must not be read in advance. Anyway. Hope this helps a little in answering your question.