Designing a Love of Reading with Ako Playrooms
At Ako Playrooms, we believe in the magic of reading and the profound impact it can have on a child's development. Our educational design process revolves around nurturing essential skills, and one of our top priorities is fostering a love for reading. Through our carefully curated playrooms, bedrooms and family spaces, we aim to create an environment where children can discover the joy of exploring new worlds and sparking their imagination through books. Here's how we achieve this:
Forward-Facing Shelves; Less is More In our playrooms, you won't find overwhelming rows of books stacked on shelves. Instead, we embrace forward-facing shelves that display a select few books at a time. By limiting the options, children can easily spot and grab their favourite reads, encouraging a sense of independence and nurturing their love for literature from an early age. Visual appeal plays a significant role in sparking curiosity, and forward-facing shelves do just that!
The Power of Book Rotation, Kids love variety, and so do we! Regularly rotating books on the shelves keeps their interest piqued. We encourage every 2 weeks, a new set of books based on the children's interests, favourites (because repeated reading is key!), and topics that encourage new learning (e.g. counting). This rotation introduces fresh stories and exciting topics, sparking the flame of imagination and exploration in young minds.
The Beauty of Repeated Reading, Ever noticed how children insist on hearing the same story over and over again? That's the magic of repeated reading! Beyond creating cherished bonding moments with parents, it strengthens language skills, enriches vocabulary, and enhances comprehension. Repeated reading also boosts emotional development and fosters a sense of security as children connect with their favourite characters, forming precious memories that last a lifetime.
Parents as Reading Role Models, We firmly believe that parents play a pivotal role in cultivating a love of reading in children. When parents show excitement and engagement while reading to their kids, it sparks curiosity and interest in the little ones. At Ako Playrooms, we encourage parents to be over the top, be animated, and show genuine interest during reading sessions, setting the stage for a lifelong love affair with books.
The Lifelong Benefits of Reading Research has shown that exposing children to books at a young age can have long-term benefits on their language development and cognitive abilities. Early exposure to reading enhances vocabulary, comprehension, and critical thinking skills, providing a strong foundation for academic success in later years. Moreover, reading opens doors to creativity, empathy, and a deeper understanding of the world around us.
At Ako Playrooms, we're committed to creating spaces that nurture the love of reading and learning, unlocking the boundless potential within each child with our individualised designs. We continue to support you and your family even after we leave, with our comprehensive Ako Playrooms Educational and Organisational guide, to ensure you have the support and easy access to Ako design tips as your child develops and grows.
