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A love of reading just doesn’t happen. I have three boys: a teen, a tween, and a grade school-aged child. We started early on to help foster a love of reading. While each stage is different, and sometimes tough to get kids to pick up a book, I have seen them read, learn, and express themselves through different mediums. One loves comics, one loves writing stories, and the other loves always having a book within reach. I think all this is due to always having books around and the kids watching our example of always reading.
I have put together 20 creative tips to get kids reading and “hopefully” stay reading…
Little Ones
- Start Early: Carry a soft chewable or board book in the diaper bag or attach one to the car seat.
- Let Them See You Read: Whether it is a magazine, newspaper, or book, set the example.
- Keep a Stash in the Car: Switch them out regularly so they don’t get bored.
- Character Voices: When reading aloud, use different voices for the different characters.
- Keep Books Throughout the House: Every room should have a few books here and there.
Elementary
- The Library is Your Friend
- Reading Time: Libraries offer story time for all ages
- Summer Reading Program: A fun way to keep kids reading over the summer with special prizes to earn along the way
- Sign Up for the Newsletter: Our library features listings of new releases for all ages and upcoming library events
- Bribe Them: I am not above bribery! Whether it is monetary or extra screen time, at least they are reading. I have offered my son $1 per chapter book, but he has to be able to answer questions about the book when finished.
- Have your Child Write a Story: Start with a little each night, then read it aloud at the end of the week.
- Swap a Book with a Friend
- Car Stash: Upgrade to books with facts. These have held his attention longer for my nine-year-old since they offer short bursts of information.
- Visit a Scholastic Warehouse Sale. I love these sales!! They offer all the best titles at up to 80% off, books for $1.00, slightly damaged deals, and discounts on the newest titles.
- Set Aside at Least 20 Minutes Before Bed for Reading
- Create a Reading Space: A beanbag or a cozy pillow. Create an inviting place to read.
- Follow Their Favorite Authors: Is there a series that your child just can’t put down? Follow the author on social media or sign up for their newsletter to stay on top of new releases. Some authors offer their website games, printables, and more insights into the series.
Tweens
- Find What Interests Them: Your kids may not want to read Harry Potter but will pick up a book to learn more about that sports player or a how-to book.
- Catch the Movie: Read the book, then see the movie and have them try to spot the differences.
- Magazine Subscriptions: My thirteen-year-old loves sports, so a subscription to Sports Illustrated is a must. We keep several magazines in the kitchen so the kids can flip through them while snacking.
- Technology: Try a Kindle eBook, Kindle App for iPhone, or iBooks: Since kids love their tech, try an eBook, you can download several books for free!
- Encourage writing stories, exchanging letters with a pen-pal, or even drawing comics.
- Switch it Up with Graphic Novels: These are great for kids who are hesitant to pick up a book. They are fast-paced, and the word-to-picture correlation provides an easy way to expand children’s vocabulary.
Other Ways to Get Involved in Reading:
⚉ Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library mails free books to kids aged 0-5. You can see if your neighborhood is registered and then sign up for one free monthly book! If your neighborhood is not registered, you can apply.
⚉ Check out the Monthly Subscription Book Clubs that are available at CrateJoy. They offer over 50 different clubs for all flavors! From children’s, young adult, religious, romance, and sci-fi, just to name a few.
⚉ Drop Everything and Read, or D.E.A.R., is a national month-long celebration of reading designed to remind people of all ages to make reading a priority activity. Since Beverly Cleary first wrote about D.E.A.R. in Ramona Quimby, Age 8 (pages 40-41), D.E.A.R. programs have been held nationwide on April 12th in honor of her birthday. As D.E.A.R. has grown in popularity and scope, the program has expanded to span April!
⚉ First Book is a non-profit that provides new books and educational resources – for free and at low cost – to schools and programs serving children in need from birth to age 18.
⚉ Pizza Hut BOOK IT! Program motivates children to read by rewarding their accomplishments with praise, recognition, and pizza. The program is simple, flexible, fun, and free to use in your classroom!
⚉ Book Adventure is a fun, free way to motivate your child to read! Kids in grades K-8 can search for books, read them offline, come back to quiz on what they’ve read, and earn prizes for their reading success.
Interesting tips that parents can follow for their kids learning needs. Thanks for it.
This is a great list of tips for instilling a love of reading in children. I’d like to add for elementary children, find series of books that your child wants to read by themselves. My young son loves Dog Man (includes boy potty humor), The Bad Guy Series, and Wings of Fire. He’s always excited about new books coming out and asks for books instead of toys. I’ve also been reading the Narnia series out loud before bed. I think the simple fact that there is a series plays into this desire for finishing and completing the set and full storyline, which means seven Narnia books and thousands of pages of reading together!
Another great idea is to subscribe to magazines that your child will love. LEGO has a free magazine for kids that I highly recommend!
Loving the tips will use them
Reading is the foundation for so many things. The tip I have is go with what they are interested in. If you take them to a museum, or a historical place and they get excited, find books on the subject.
My son likes to read. I have always encouraged him. I am so glad. He regularly reads.
I encourage my kids to keep reading by taking them once a week to the Library to choose books that interest them so they will enjoy reading. I also have a reward chart for every book they read, they get so many points to turn in at the end of the month for a special treat.
I started reading to my children at a very young age. But I still appreciate any tips to help them keep it up.
These are some great tips. I like the idea of keeping a stash in the car. It’s so important to get kids to read.
Thank you for these helpful tips. They will be very useful to use.
Marion
Some tips I offer are to start reading at a very young ago. Read at bedtime every night. Also, when they’re old enough allow them to join the library and be a regular visitor and even join the reading clubs they offer.
We were inspired by Pizza Hut’s Book It program and have implemented that same concept in our home. Our daughter reads for 15 minutes each day and if she reads consistently for a period of time, she gets a “good reader” reward, which is usually a small toy, another book, or whatever she wants for dinner.
These are all great ideas! My best tip is to lead by example; most children do what they see their parents do.
I think the more a child sees a parent reading, the more inclined they are to become readers themselves. My daughter and I are both big readers. Thanks for posting!
Here are my tips!
1. Starting with babies and toddles, have age-appropriate book in your child’s reach at all time – ie – sturdy board or cloth books in a basket on the floor.
2. Let kids stay up 20 minutes later if they are in bed reading.
Read to/with them! Even my hyperactive niece will sit still for a book (or 10!) if I am reading to her.
I absolutely agree to start early!! Also choose topics that interest them and make it a treat!! My son and I get all cuddled up and read books together!! He LOVES it!
I try to read to my kids every night. We choose books together that focus on their interests.
My son is in name that book club. They won first for elementary now to district finals. He would love to win this.