10 Tips for Encouraging a Love of Reading
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I’ve posted several photos on Instagram recently of my daughters reading and have received many comments about their love of reading.
The most common comment is “How do you get your kids to read?”
I’m not a teacher or reading specialist, but I can tell you what I have done to encourage a love of reading in our home.
Consider the following findings from Comfy Living:
Reading could help reduce mental decline in old age by up to 32%.
Reading fiction can make you a better decision-maker.
Reading increases emotional intelligence, and consequently, your career outlooks.
Don’t we want all of that for our kids? By encouraging a love of reading, we can guide our children to a brighter future.
1. Model Reading
The very first thing you need to do to encourage a love of reading is to model it!
Let your kids see you read regularly. Talk to them about the books you loved as a kid and what you are reading now.
2. Support Their Interests
It’s easy to want to push certain books on kids – especially those books we love.
But that may backfire.
Instead, find books that support their interests. Don’t worry.
Even if your kid has some really unique interests, there is a book that exists about this strange topic.
If they want to read graphic novels, let them! If they want to try a book at a higher reading level, don’t say no.
3. Encourage Library Use
Kids love libraries if they are shown the power of it.
Take kids to the library and explain how it works. They can borrow tons of books without spending any money. Get them their own library card.
They can participate in programming geared for their age group. *Summer reading programs are getting started so check out your local branch for kid, tween, and teen activities.
4. Have a Mom-Child Book Club
One of my favorite ways to encourage a love of reading is to participate in a mother-daughter book club.
If my daughter has a book she loves, I’ll read it. Then, I will make a date to discuss it with her at a restaurant. It makes her feel very grown-up and encourages her to continue reading.
5. Listen to Audiobooks Together
Audiobooks are excellent for auditory learners.
Many of today’s audiobooks are dramatized, which means they are acted out rather than having one person narrating the entire thing.
We like to listen to family-friendly audiobooks, like the Percy Jackson Series, while we are on road trips.
6. Keep Books in Every Room
I try to make it so my kid never has an excuse to say they don’t have anything to read.
I keep books in all the rooms where my girls may possibly read. And in the car.
7. Allow Kids to Read Past Bedtime
I like to encourage a little rebellion.
I will never forget when my daughters realized they could silently read a book with a flashlight past bedtime.
They felt like they were being rebellious, but I loved it.
Now at bedtime, we have to tell them to read but not to read too late.
8. Go All in for the Book Fair
Remember how much fun the Scholastic Book Fair was when you were growing up? It is still just as fun for your kids!
Go all in! Send them with money, order from the pamphlets, or volunteer.
And if you don’t have a school book fair, treat bookstores like a very special place where kids can get the books they really want.
9. Create a Reading Nook
Sure, you can read anywhere.
But there is something really special about a dedicated reading nook.
There are tons of ideas on Pinterest for creating reading nooks in homes.
10. Embrace Technology
Lastly, don’t neglect technology. Kids these days are used to getting everything they want or need via a mobile device or tablet.
Therefore, embrace technology. Download a library app for e-books or give them an allowance for buying books on their devices.
You can even set up time limits on devices, such as 1 hour for games and unlimited for reading.
