5 Ways to Interest Children in Reading

Practical Tips for Parents (Handy for teachers, tutors, and other concerned adults, too!)


1. Take them to the library.  
A plethora of stories and facts await you at the library. Give your children an allotted amount of time to pick out age-appropriate books. Let them choose the books for themselves that they want to borrow. Do take a look at their selections to be sure they are clean and fitting, and do guide them to some that you know to be the best. But be sure you give them a chance to choose their own, as well. This helps to create excitement, as the children feel they are hunting for "hidden treasures" among the books.

2. Read to them.
"Children are made readers on the laps of their parents." ~Emilie Buchwald
Choose the cream of the crop--the best books you remember from your childhood or time-tested classics--and read these books to your children. Use expression. Change your voice around when you read different characters' dialogue. Read with energy and excitement. Introduce your children to the pure, priceless magic of a well-told story. 

3. Discover topics that interest them.
"There is no such thing as a child who hates to read; there are only children who have not found the right book." ~Frank Serafini
If you have not yet learned by simple observation and by listening to your children, ask them what topics interest them. Once you discover these topics, help your children to find books pertaining to the subjects. Is your little boy fascinated by insects, hurricanes, airplanes, or grizzly bears? Does your little girl love to learn about horses, princesses, Laura Ingalls Wilder, or caterpillars? Find age-appropriate books that cover these topics, and share them with your children. (Be sure if secular books contain false ideologies such as evolution, you explain the error of this thinking to your children.)

4. Have them read to you. 
Let them share their favorite books with you. Show them that you are interested in the same books that they are. It will be exciting to them to introduce Mom or Dad to a new treasure they have found. Listen with interest, and gently help them when they mispronounce a word or stumble in their reading. Be sure to commend them on their strong points and improvements.

5. Help them keep a record of the books they complete. 
Nothing stirs motivation like keeping track of accomplishment! Help your children keep track of the books they read by writing them in a list (example: Tyler's Summer Reading List or Books Emily Read in 2015). If you prefer, use goodreads.com to keep a digital record of your children's books. I do this myself, and I find that it motivates me to read more when I can look back at my accomplishments from the preceding months. If you would like, you could even reward your children once they reach a certain number of completed books. Perhaps an ice cream treat or a dinner date with Mom or Dad. Make reading exciting!