Bookshelf

When should you prepare your child for school? Believe it or not, the preparation starts the day they are born. A child’s home life and environment is the biggest determinant of a child’s success in school. You can increase your child’s potential for educational success by just reading aloud to them on a regular basis. It is important that you fill your house with books and literacy materials.

However, building a library of books, magazine subscriptions, encyclopedias and dictionaries can cost you and arm and a leg. Here are some ideas how you can create a home library on a limited budget.

  1. You should begin the process of building a home library even before your baby is born. Baby showers is a wonderful place to begin. Don’t keep your friends or family wondering what baby gift they should get. Speak up and let them know your intention of building a home library. Board books are the best for baby’s early years. They are sturdy and will survive rough handling.
  2. Throughout your child’s growing years, birthdays and holidays such as Christmas are also opportunities to add books to the home library. Family and friends usually like to buy toys for children. Remind them that books are also appreciated.
  3. Look out for book sales held by neighborhood, school and main branch libraries, colleges and universities. They usually advertise sale locations and times in the events column of your newspaper. You can often purchase used books at these
    sales for as little as 50cents. This is a great way to load up on fiction, non-fiction books, information and reference books. Don’t be afraid to buy used encyclopedias. Even if it’s 10 years old, much of the information is still pertinent.
  4. It is normal practice that the tooth fairy leaves money under the pillow. Why not consider having the tooth fairy leave a fun, entertaining paperback or comic book instead. Paperback books are fairly inexpensive.
  5. Regarding magazine subscriptions, borrow first a few back issues from the library to see if your child is interested in it. You could also talk to friends and family to see if they are interested in trading magazines. This way, each family can subscribe to different magazines, thus allowing for a wider variety. Also, check out student subscription discounts. Many magazines offer special rates if ordered through schools.

A special note for Malaysians:

  • Malaysian book companies usually hold their sales at the end of the year. Pay Less Books have sales a few times a year. Their children books are usually 50% off. Put yourself on their mailing list to receive sale notifications.
  • If your child is attending kindergarten, check to see if they participate in Grolier’s Scholastic Book Club. They distribute their book catalogue only through schools and the books are greatly discounted.
  • Be a patron of http://www.valuebookshop.com. Parents are usually tied up with work and other commitments that don’t allow them to go bargain hunting for books. Value Bookshop does the bargain hunting for you. Shop online in your pyjamas. It’s convenient plus you can trust to find wonderful children books at cheap prices.

Surround your children with books and read with them regularly. Your home environment is very important to their future success. Don’t neglect it.