Reading: How To Make A Toddler Read?

If this was an infomercial, it would sound something like this:

• Do you have a feisty toddler who stacks, throws, tears and literally eat books?
• Does your toddler sit down to read together?
• Do you want to know the secret to make your toddler love reading?

Imagine a teary mother wiping her tears and nodding her head in agreement.

Haha! (Silent laugh). Then they make you pay $99.99 for an useless product.

PS: I have never bought anything from TV. Although I really wanted to get the abs buster. Fortunately. as I grow older, I realised that saving my money for a liposuction would be a better option.

I have all the above problems with Tiger (including the desire for the abs buster/liposuction).
On occasions, we will sit together to read a couple of books. NO cuddling allowed. Yeah, snobby kid....
Sometimes, he flips through several books in rapid successions and runs off.
Occasionally he stacks, throws and tears. He no longer chew his books. Thank God!
Sometimes he does't want me to read and prefers his own voice (in high-pitched gibberish, mocking me)

Then I discovered *The Secret* (In no way affliated with Rhonda Bryne)

Hand puppet! Yup, it is that simple. We used it looong ago and I forgot about it. We have a monkey and a tiger and these two are currently my Little Tiger's reading BFF!
He is addicted to reading now, opting to read first before anything else...he he
He makes me put them on before reading.
They also come in handy for singing, clapping (he is in a self-praising phase), high-fives, hugs, etc.


Prove:

Very happy with his monkey...probably because I snort everytime he touches the monkey's nose.

Giving monkey a BIG hug after reading

Putting on the tiger puppet

Reading to monkey!

Why is reading important?

Reading promotes literacy, language development and bonding.

Unfortunately, every child is different. There are children who enjoy reading by flashcards, the so-called prodigies you see on Youtube. Since they enjoy the activity, who is to say no? That's why some of them pick up reading at 9 months old. Their temperament and thirst to learn enabled them to absorb that fast.

Since Tiger abhors doing flashcards at the moment, we are learning by reading, singing and movement. Stuff that he enjoys. I hate forcing him down to do e-flashcards when I can clearly see that he hates the activity. In the end, I feel guilty as sin.

So, this is one of our ways of injecting fun into our daily rhythm.

Resources for reading to toddlers that I LOVE:
1. How to Use Picture Books
2. Zero To Three: Early Literacy & Language

Do you have any other ways in gettting a 20 month old to read? Please share under comments if you do :)