Ebooks: Bridging Technology and Literacy for Children (Plus Gifting Suggestions!)

Educators and literacy experts have concluded that Californian students need much more assistance in learning to read. 

Currently, only 43% of young children are reading at grade level by the time they hit third grade. With these numbers, it’s clear there’s a need to engage kids in reading and motivate them in a fun way. Considering the approaching holidays, it’s the perfect time to provide children with the gift of literacy. With growing kids becoming more tech-savvy than ever, ebooks may just be the solution to bridging the gap. 

How ebook technologies improve literacy in kids

Ebooks are a great way to make reading more accessible because of their portability and how the format works with different learning styles. They not only give readers one place to access all their books across genres, but they also have various features like highlighting text, zooming in for legibility and comfort, putting annotations, and being able to look up unfamiliar words. For example, Kindle Paperwhite e-readers have built-in dictionaries that work with any ebook uploaded. A child can hold their finger on a word and then click the magnifying glass icon to learn its meaning. 

Additionally, many tech tools have made ebooks more engaging to today’s young readers. This is evidenced by creations like FlipHTML5’s interactive book creator, which can convert static PDF files to dynamic ebooks with page-flipping effects and sound. It also enables books to use audio, videos, GIFs, and animations to keep children's attention. Considering reports on the attention span crisis faced by youth immersed in digital technology, this solution can help get them into reading. 

In addition to these factors, the ebook format allows for hyperlinking. This means children can stay more engaged in a topic they find interesting by actively interacting with what they are reading. They can simply continue to click on more specific sections that draw their attention the most. 

Ebook gifts children will enjoy 

If you’re looking to get your children into the ebook habit, there are a few gifts they will be able to enjoy:

A subscription to an ebook collection

Part of the beauty of ebooks is that they have various easy-access reading options at any time. Everand’s collection of children’s ebooks is carefully vetted for great content and has thousands of titles to choose from. Whether it’s an award-winning classic like Bridge to Terabithia or trending newer favorites like Pete the Cat and the Supercool Science Fair, there’s something for every child’s interest and reading level. Since the platform is specifically designed for digital reading, it comes with an affordable subscription format that gives you access to all of these online and offline titles. If your child is a voracious reader, you can get the premium catalog for more titles to explore.  

A fun smart gadget to keep track of reading

Since children nowadays are more likely to maintain their interest in technology, you can leverage this by getting a useful tool to keep their reading on track. TickTalk’s feature-rich smartwatches are designed for kids aged 3 to 12 and come with a customizable interface, so your child can personalize it to their taste. To encourage them to read, you can set reminders for ‘reading time’ and ensure they set aside at least 15 to 20 minutes daily to read. For very young children, you can turn this as a reminder for bonding time and read ebooks with them. According to the Child Mind Institute, parents reading with their child improves language skills, emotional awareness, and the parent-child bond. 

A kid-friendly e-reader

Finally, you may want to invest in a dedicated device for your child to read on. E-readers are built with a focus on reading, so the screen is better at preventing eyestrain and keeping text legible regardless of your lighting environment. If you get a model from the likes of Kobo, these also have fewer distractions than a tablet, which will likely be filled with game apps, streaming channels, and chat platforms. Cases and covers can help make the device more accident-prone when in the hands of children, but they already have a solid build quality despite their budget-friendly range. 

Article written by Rosy Johns