We all want to give our children the best opportunities in life. One great way to do that is to put time and effort into helping them learn to become strong readers and enjoy story time. The best way to do that is to get your child to read and read often. Sadly not all kids instantly fall in love with books and never look back but there are things we can do as parents to encourage reading.
How to get your child to read more
Make a comfy place for reading where they can relax and become lost in the book. This can be a cozy chair or a giant bean bag with throws and pillows for a truly relaxing space to snuggle up with a good book and read when they just need a few minutes to rest after a long day or even to relax and listen to story time when it’s too hot to run around and play.
Each child is different and some will prefer a different style of book than others. While one child will fall in love with historical fiction and find themselves sucked into a book easily another may be reluctant to read and end up discovering graphic novels make a great stepping stone into reading. Keeping books available to your child in a wide variety of genres is a great way to encourage your child to read. Stock your home library well and opt to spend time at the library regularly to allow your child to explore the books available.
Often kids will get sucked into screened devices. When they have too much time on devices they are less likely to read a book. Reduce your child’s screen time by putting up healthy limits. This will allow your child to feel bored. It is in boredom that kids let their creative side out or pick up a book to begin reading and learning. To encourage your child to read more gives them a chance to feel bored and when they complain point them in the direction of the bookshelves and remind them that a book allows them to escape into a whole new world.
Offer rewards for reading to encourage your child to read more. Many community libraries offer a free reading program over the summer and sometimes during holiday breaks. Take advantage of these programs where you can or offer your child a reward of your own like a fun new toy, a small amount of money, or a fun opportunity like choosing dessert as a reward for reading a few books. My children’s school regularly hosts reading incentivised rewards. The more your child reads the better they will get at it and the more they will fall in love with reading and story time, making incentives a great way to push kids in the direction of reading more.
Use Screens Cleverly!
Use screens to your advantage. While getting kids away from screens can help encourage them to read books for young kids that are just learning to read screens can be a great tool for learning. Programs and apps like StarFall and Teach Your Monster to read are amazing assets for teaching kids to read and getting them excited to learn. If your child is already spending time on a device why not make it a great learning opportunity? Check out my favourite education apps that support learning.
Turn on the subtitles when your kids are watching TV. This can go a long way when it comes to teaching your child to read because they will naturally pick up on words that pop up on the screen while people are talking. Like sitting in front of you while you read a book this is a great way for picks to pick up reading skills without trying.
Have your child help you in the kitchen from choosing the recipe to reading the directions out loud to you there is a lot of reading and math included in cooking. Involving your child in places where reading connects with real-life helps your child see why reading skills are important and can help make them more willing to work on reading.
Read aloud to your child. We all know reading to young kids is a great way to help them build a love of reading and help to develop language skills. This doesn’t end when our kids no longer can fit in our laps. In fact, studies have proven that continuing to read aloud and have story time with our children can go a long way in encouraging them to fall in love with books. How many of us can remember our primary school teachers reading Harry Potter books to us and falling in love with the series.
Let your child see you reading and enjoying doing so. A good book is just as good for you as it is for them. Make a point for your child to see you spending time reading or the joy of it. Not only do they benefit from seeing your read and are more likely to choose to read as well but you are giving your mind a break from life allowing you to better handle the stress of life and parenting. Demonstrating the amazing mental health benefits of reading to your family.
These clever tips will have your children choosing and book and enjoying story time in no time!
For more on primary education read https://sorry-about-the-mess.co.uk/things-ive-learnt-about-the-choosing-a-primary-school
