7 Subtle Ways to Encourage Your Kids to be Readers

by ParentCo. March 28, 2017

A friend said to me recently, “Movies and television feed you the story. Other mediums make you work for it.” I want my children to work for it. Don’t get me wrong. We watch movies, we watch TV and we have a great time doing that. But I also want my children to grow up believing that reading is a normal part of everyday life. I want to equip my children with minds that are adept at reading and writing, imagining and creating. I want them to be familiar with the mental and emotional process of reading books. I believe that a love of reading is a gift that will improve the quality of their life for all of their days. I have three avid readers now. My children are twelve, nine, five and three. One child has been a fluent reader since she was four. One child was eight before he would read comfortably on his own. One child became a fluent reader at five. My three-year-old does not read yet but she will listen quietly to the chapter books I read to her and her siblings and the board books she picks out for me to read to her at night. Here are seven ways we have encouraged reading in our home. I hope they are an encouragement to you!

1 | Let your kids see you reading

Our children are our shadows, our mimickers. Let them see mom and dad reading often. Talk to them about the books you are reading. Tell them why you read. As parents, we create our children’s normal. If they see mom and dad reading daily, they will believe that reading every day is a normal way of living life.

2 | Do not pressure your children to read by a certain age

Our oldest child read at four. She learned to read on her own with very little direct instruction from us. Our second child was eight before he had any interest in reading on his own. When he turned five then six then seven we had moments when we were tempted to panic or get frustrated. There were days we wondered if he would ever become a fluent reader and we questioned what we were doing wrong. But our goal was not to teach him to read by a certain age. Our goal was to teach him to love to read. We navigated those waters carefully, backing off lessons when he would get frustrated while responding attentively when he would express interest in practicing. The older he got, the better he got and now he will disappear for hours at a time, usually to be found in his room or on the couch reading a book. Be patient. Have faith. Do not allow pressure and stress to enter the reading equation.

3 | Read to them. A lot.

We read books every night before bed from the time they were babies. We read during our school day and listen to audiobooks when we are in the car. We teach them to read first by exposure more than direct instruction. Read to them every day. Read books you love and they love. Your consistency and enthusiasm will pay off.

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4 | Go to the library

We have been visiting the library about once a week for almost a decade now. The library is a magical place. I feel it every time I am there. My children feel it too. Being surrounded by so many beautiful books – drinking in the sights and smells and possibilities – fills us with wonder and reignites our desire to read and discover. Take them to the library. Let them pick out books to bring home. Get them a library card. Yes, it may take them a while to learn to be quiet but they will learn! And it will be worth it.

5 | Make books readily available to them

Provide them with books they love and enjoy (especially while they are still learning how to read). Find a series they love and let them just read that series for a while. Remember that your first goal is to teach them to love to read. As they get older that can become a great foundation for their required reading as well.

6 | Let them take books to bed. Just books.

At times my kids will ask to take an iPod or a toy to bed. But we continually steer them back to books. Most nights my three oldest can be found with a lamp or flashlight on, ending their day with a book. The sight of them settled in bed with a book fills my heart to bursting.

7 | Lastly, make time for reading.

It is easy to over schedule. It is easy to spend countless hours on screens. Slow down enough and turn the screens off long enough to make space for reading. Every once in a while my children make the mistake of saying they are bored. My first response is usually to suggest they clean the house. Sometimes they do. More often, I will find them reading a book. I hope these ideas help you and your children on your journey towards a life and love of reading. The possibilities, the adventure, the knowledge await!

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