Getting kids reading can be a real challenge – especially in today’s high-tech, high-distraction world. So, how do you get them interested and engaged with books? If you’ve ever wondered how to encourage your kids to read more, look no further than these 12 tips! From library outings to reading competitions, we’re covering all the angles to give you and your young readers the best chance of success.
Approach books with the right mindset.
The very first step in getting kids to read is to focus on the fun and put the “school”-y aspect on the backburner. Picture this: your child is having fun playing on an iPad, but you decide it’s time to practice reading and swap out the tablet for a book. Cue tantrum and resentment! Instead, aim to have story time as its own activity. If reading is set up as a chore or a punishment, why would anyone be motivated to participate? This only fosters bitterness towards you and books. However, if you present reading as an opportunity, an escape, a pleasure, a privilege, and/or a game, you’ll likely see better results.
Be a role model.
This one may be easier said than done! Modelling the behaviour you want to encourage is a surefire way to get your little ones on the right path. Although it’s difficult to replace our time using technology—scrolling through our phones, watching TV, playing computer games…—if your kids see you reading, they’re more likely to read as well. You can even read side by side, each with your own age-appropriate book! This time together will help you build a bond and provide all types of conversations for around the dinner table.
Surround your kids with books.
Making books easy to access in the home is key in ensuring your kids will develop of a love of reading. Think books in their room, in the playroom, in the kitchen, and even (waterproof books) in the tub! You should also switch up the books you have in more prominent locations to keep things fresh. Consider swapping in stories that match the seasons, the holidays, and the activist movements of the month, for example Women’s History Month (March), Pride (June), and Black (February) or Indigenous (June) History Month.
Make library outings an adventure.
Books can be expensive, and not everyone can afford to surround their children with as many books as they’d like. That’s why libraries are such a special and integral community resource! Try to have a weekly outing to the library and make it as fun as you can by integrating games (ex. Be the first to find a book about planes!) and activities (author signings, reading contests, etc.). You can even visit different branches of your city’s library and throw in the occasional bookstore just to mix things up!
Read about as many topics as possible.
Sometimes, kids don’t want to read simply because they haven’t found a topic with which they connect. That’s why it’s imperative to offer a variety of subjects. Don’t be afraid to think outside the box! You never know what will spark an interest in reading. Maybe it’ll be a poem on farming. Maybe it’ll be a short story collection written by other kids. Maybe it’ll be a picture book about trucks. Or maybe, just maybe, it’ll be an atlas. You can also try to find books that might resonate with your children based on the experiences or the characters they depict. For example, if someone in your family is struggling with an invisible illness, you could introduce My Mom Is Not a Superhero by Darcie Naslund, a touching story about a mother with MS and her daughter’s realization that superheroes come in different forms.
Find books based on shows they like.
If you’re having trouble moving from the TV to the reading nook, suggest books based on children’s shows or movies. Fans of Bluey, that Australian show about a family of dogs? There are books for that! Partial to Disney princess films? There are tons of books for that too! It doesn’t matter how you get kids into books, only that you do.
Let your kids lead.
If your kids aren’t reacting well to being told when and what to read, try giving them the reigns instead. Provide a plethora of materials and offer them the choice of book, time, and location. You may end up reading about koalas at 5:57 a.m. in a bathtub, but at least you’ll be reading! This method helps kids feel you’re really listening to them regarding what they like and dislike about reading and allows them to control their environment so they have a more positive reading experience.
Explore different book formats.
Reading is reading is reading—whether it’s graphic novels, picture books, chapter books, online books, short stories, poetry, or even audiobooks. Yes, that last one is a little different in that it doesn’t sharpen a child’s ability to read words off a page or teach them to spell… but audiobooks are great for practicing how to listen and imagine. Plus, they’re perfect for kids on the move! Short story anthologies are also unique in that they approach a different topic in every few pages. The One Story a Day collection, for example, comprises one two-page tale for each day of the year and helps kids not only form a daily reading habit, but also feel a sense of progress that will only incite them to read more.
Set goals or have competitions.
Turning reading into a sort of game is another fun way to motivate young readers. Choosing a goal for the week, month, or year gives kids a target and teaches them about personal growth, in addition to cultivating reading skills. Having competitions, either between siblings or between a parent and child, can be a motivator as well. Just be careful this doesn’t turn into a serious rivalry that affects family dynamics, especially if one child is struggling more than another.
Keep an eye out for learning disabilities.
Approximately 10% to 20% of Canadian kids struggle with dyslexia, a number that increased over the course of the COVID-19 pandemic. And this is just one of many learning disabilities your children may be facing! If you have any suspicions, consider doing some research and talking to a specialist as soon as possible to get a diagnosis and find ways to support your kids. There are books in dyslexia-friendly fonts, for example, as well as a myriad of other tools and tricks that, especially if used at a young age, will help someone with a learning disability throughout their whole life.
Invent activities to supplement their reading.
In addition to reading a book, consider building a sort of lesson or experience around the story. If you read a poetry book, try getting your kids to write their own poem—or, if they’re younger, play a rhyming game. If you read a book about nature, what’s stopping you from going outside and exploring a nearby field, forest, park, or beach to discover what plants and animals live there? If you read a book about cars, you could even introduce your kids to how cars operate by lifting the hood and taking a look. Engaging with your surroundings is one of the best ways to ensure kids really learn something.
Encourage them to create their own stories.
The best way to become a good writer is to read, read, read. So why not hone both skills in parallel? Start with a writing prompt such as “What would happen if there was a day with no parents?” or “What would the family pet do if it could talk?” and you’ll eventually have your kids writing their own short stories. They may even want to illustrate them! You can also try a daily diary entry or a collective story in which family members take turns adding a sentence to the story. The important thing is to frame the development of literacy as a positive experience that will ultimately help your kids work towards a bright future.
When you want to get kids reading, using a combination of these ideas can really help. Don’t forget that – sometimes – they might need you to just read with them until they get more confident in their reading abilities. The most important thing is to not give up. Books are an important part of childhood and we want to encourage them to keep giving it a try, however that works for them.
- 12 Ways to Get Kids Reading - March 9, 2024
