One of the most common concerns parents and educators share is that their children "hate" reading and with that typically comes the question, "how do I encourage my child to read?" Better yet, why is it important?
Although I do think most people have a basic understanding of why reading is important, I'm not sure as adults we take time to reflect on the true purpose of reading and how being a person who reads well and ENJOYS it too contributes to a better society. We tend to use phrases like "college- and career-readiness" when it comes to describing the importance of reading. In my opinion, we've become so heavily focused on these terms that we may actually be damaging the relationship our children have with reading.
Reading is a beautiful skill that we use for understanding, motivating, inspiring, creating, and to put it simply...playing. That being said, in this post we'll focus on how to build positivity around reading and then touch on why reading is beneficial for not just "college" or one's "career," but LIFE in a later post.
So how do we ensure that our children not only CAN read, but ENJOY it too? How do we build life-long readers? Here are ten ways to make reading fun and encourage your children to want to read.
1. Accept Sameness
Your child will want to read one book, over and over...and over again. As adults this can be draining (maybe even grueling). However, each time your child reads that SAME book, he or she is picking up NEW information. It's likely just above their level of thinking and WAY below ours, so for them it's new learning. If this becomes way too much, think about recording yourself reading it or finding it on audiobook. Your child can listen to the recording while he flips through the pages.
2. Encourage Choice
Everyone talks about choice these days and sometimes we can give too much choice. However, it is a wonderful tool to use, especially when your child doesn't seem to enjoy reading. Giving him the chance to choose his own books or giving him two to three options to read can change a tantrum into a positive interaction. If you'd like information on how to incorporate or give choices, please reach out to me and we can go over this!
3. Read Often
For many of my school-age years, I was fortunate to have a mother who could sit with us at the end of our driveway before the bus came. She always kept two to three books in the console of the car and would read to us while we were waiting for the bus. Not only did it give us more reading time, but it was calming and special. The more we read, the stronger our connection grew. Reading can be incorporated while waiting for appointments, during oil changes, bath time, etc. Carrying books to have on hand rather than tablets is always a healthier option when considering long-term benefits.
4. Be Creative
Literacy is built not only through books, but magazines, labels, signs, etc. Not to mention books come in all shapes and sizes. Some libraries have the BIG books that are a hoot to read and add a whole new element to reading. Using puppets, stuffed animals, and different reading tools can also make reading fun and even though books such as "I Spy" and picture books may not have words, they are full of vocabulary and can inspire hesitant readers. Sometimes you'll have to change it up to find what works.
5. No Tech
The screens and effects of technology grab all of us, so beware. If you'd like your children to read more, then I suggest creating guidelines around tablet, phone, and overall screen time. I'll continue to talk endlessly about the negative impact technology has on the brain development of our kiddos, specifically creativity, behavior and socialization. It's a serious matter and applies here too. You may find that by removing or reducing technology that you and your children will be more engaged and less likely to become upset or agitated on a regular basis as well, which will ultimately bring more success to reading time.
6. Read Aloud
I shared a short article recently about reading aloud to children of all ages. Even as an adult I love listening to someone else read. Reading books, magazines, labels on food or street signs are all ways to bond with children while reading aloud.
7. Monkey See, Monkey Do
You've heard it before that what children see they will do. If you make time for yourself to read, your children will see this and it will encourage them to read. When you give them 20 minutes to sit and read, take 5-10 of those minutes and do some reading yourself. Trust me, those 10 minutes will be beneficial not only for their reading, but for your mind as well.
8. Create Purpose
I don't know many adults who are motivated to learn a new skill without seeing the purpose behind learning it. The purpose could be making more money or because it looks fun, but there is usually purpose behind what we do. It's the same with children, if they aren't engaged in something, then they must not see a purpose in putting their attention there. You may need to find as many books that talk about trucks, buses and things that go to make sure your child reads and that is completely okay!
9. Visit the Library
There's something about libraries that are magical. Regular trips to the library can be so fun for kids and create another chance for you to bond with your child. Many libraries do fun, weekly activities and groups as well so getting involved in those can also inspire young ones to read!
10. Comment vs. Question
Sometimes we adults find ourselves hammering kids with questions when trying to hold a conversation or read. Keep in mind how you feel when someone asks you question after question and be sure to find ways to walk through books without asking questions repeatedly. Commenting on the pictures of the books and presenting scenarios or ideas you have about the book are great ways to avoid leaning too heavily on asking questions.
Before signing off I wanted to be completely fair and say that despite my love for reading, I did go through spurts where reading was not something that I did happily. This was especially true throughout the grades 7th-12th and even into college. I picked up books for enjoyment mostly during school breaks and summer.
So if your child has hit a similar spurt where they aren't as excited about reading, but you and education staff are confident in their reading skills, then definitely don't make it an argument every time reading comes up. During these times I recommend continuing to buy them books, limit technology time and read in front of them yourself!
If you have questions or comments please feel free to comment below or reach out directly!
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