How Reading Transforms Thought into Experience
“A reader lives a thousand lives before he dies…” – George R.R. Martin.
That’s a big point in favour of reading. Even the cat will envy us that. I mean what’s nine compared to thousand!
Reading is a magical experience. It transports you into a world tucked between the lines. You get swept away by the currents of the lives of the characters, feeling for them and with them.
Those thinkers, philosophers and leaders inspire you, coax you to get out of your comfort zone and think. They motivate you to push yourself to become a better version of yourself.
It’s impossible to read a book and not get affected by it. Books whisper secrets of the world into your eager minds.
But the real engagement begins when the books come alive off the page. It’s more than an intellectual exercise; it’s an immersive experience leading to emotional growth and creativity. Haven’t you experienced it?
How Reading Adapts To You
As an educator, I would say it is a form of experiential learning.
It improves comprehension and memory. That’s quite obvious. It slows life down, forcing you to focus on the present.
Cutting the cacophony that surrounds you, reading brings about a calmness. This enables you to concentrate, improving your knowledge and ability for retention.
You’ve options now. Reading is not restricted to having a book, or ebook, in hand. You’ve kinaesthetic, auditory and visual options. Choose your style.
To a passionate traditionalist (I need that book in my hand), I was sceptical about audiobooks but decided to give it a try. Surprisingly engaging but I’ll stick with my physical books.
As you flip the pages, it builds an emotional connect with the characters and themes. You’re able to better understand and empathise because through reading, you begin to personally visualise and feel like them. This somehow helps build emotional maturity.
No denying that reading fosters creativity and curiosity. The more you read, the more you want to know. It’s like a cycle. Not something I regret or complain about.
Books Come Alive
Reading allows you to travel without visas, passports, or permissions. Whether it’s a make-belief world or some remote corner on the globe.
And what’s beautiful is that reading doesn’t end with imagination. It spills into real life in ways that surprise you.
There are so many exciting ways of bringing books to life.
- Act it out.
You could either organise classroom or home performances, or go see a stage production.
You could also write alternative endings or create missing scenes, weaving them into the original story line.
Hold storytelling sessions can get kids captivated. The Gruffalo for younger kids or Percy Jackson for tweens will surely get them invested in the characters and action. Theme parties or dress ups will always excite the children.
- Culinary adventures
I went hunting for Turkish delights after reading about them in The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe.
Several dinner menus were inspired by the feasts at Hogwarts (though I didn’t have any Dobby helping me!)
Gastronomic incentives make the books irresistibly tempting.
- Visits and trips
Warner Brothers’ Harry Potter World has become like the centre of the universe for all Harry Potter fans. Living out and experiencing the books are incomparable.
After reading the Lords of the Deccan, I’m inspired to make a trip down South to visit the unbelievable monuments.
Visits to museums, historical landmarks or even themed amusement parks breaths lives into those printed lines in the books.
Engaging with reading beyond the page
Change how you look at books. It’s not a reading exercise; it’s a process for deeper learning.
Books become the bridge between the imagination and reality.
They can lead to endless discussions at home. The constant argument at my place after every book is which is the better option – physical books or audio books? Of course, the former wins hands down due to sheer numbers.
Not just the medium, you can discuss the story line, characters or even the endings. That’s a fun exercise anyone can take part in, age no restriction.
Ask your fellow readers to come up with an alternate ending or introduce a twist in the story. Believe me, that unleashes endless creativity.
Conclusion
Reading does not have to end with ‘The End’.
If your child closes the book and forgets what they read, you’ve missed the real magic. Books are meant to be lived, not just read. Let it become a part of real-life experiences through activities.
When books stop being confined to pages and start becoming lived experience, children don’t just learn, they remember, feel and grow.
This becomes the beginning of transforming them into passionate readers without you struggling to get them to read.
Reading opens doors. Reading builds empathy. Reading changes lives.
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