How to plan and build a home library

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While we as parents always wish to inculcate reading habits in our kids, building a home library or a little room for reading is a great step towards making the kids understand the importance of books. Having a little reading space at home encourages the child towards books. While it may not necessary be a big or a fancy space, it is important to design the space carefully and smartly. Here are a few steps that helped me design a library for my daughter at home.

Select the books age wise

Creating an interesting reading space for the entire family requires you to pick the right books that interest them all. Pick the books age and interest wise. For toddlers you may pick books with more and colorful images and less text. Very young children are attracted by brightly colored pictures of simple objects. They are listeners, and respond well to books with simple texts and good rhythms. While for elders, consider their personality traits and personal preferences when choosing a book. Make a selection with each member of the family in mind; choose an informational book or a novel in an area of specific interest.

Bring books of different genres

Books help develop one’s imagination, visual skills, communication as well as critical thinking skills. But, reading or viewing the same content can saturate the brain development and restrict/limit their skills. Therefore, it is encouraged that children take up reading of any form as a source of extracting knowledge and fun. One of the effective ways to help develop the mind of kids is by introducing them to different genre of books and types of texts available. Historical Fiction, Literary Fiction, Picture Books, Informational Books, Mystery, Short Plays, Fairy Tales and Poetry are a few genres that can be stocked initially.

Make the reading space interesting

Proper storage is the holy grail of the home library.  It is not necessary to have a fancy reading space but a neat and well arranged space attracts the kids to come and read. Floor-to-ceiling shelving units or built-ins, the choice is up to you and the space you have. Some simple shelves can also solve your purpose though. Add little decor stuff related to books or reading to brake the monotony of the space. You may also add some indoor plants to add some freshness to the area.

Cosy sitting area

After deciding the space, seating is the next most important part of a home library. There are very no hard and fast rules here, but whether your space will accommodate a single chair or you have square footage for a whole grouping, it should be comfortable. Once you have your furniture in place, designing a proper layout is the next step. Of all the seating arrangements in your home, this one in particular should feel welcoming. Remember, if there are more than one seating elements in the area, try to set them facing each other to add a little comfort to the room.

While most of us dream of having a little, cozy reading space at our homes; there is absolutely no reason why you can’t fulfill it. These are a few tips that will help to build your own house library and the rest depends on your creativity.