Getting Your Child to Love Reading
- Read aloud, read aloud, read aloud! It does not matter how old your child is; he or she still loves to hear stories read out loud. Seeing you get excited and emotional over a book will make him or her eager to read on his or her own. Don’t be surprised if your child asks you to do this more than once a day!
- Let a child read what interests him or her. This sounds simple enough, but often we read to children what we think they want to read. Go to the library or bookstore and really let them explore. Talk to your child about his or her interests, and try to find books based on that. Reading material may vary from picture books,chapter books, comics, to even cook books! Get that book in your child’s hands, and watch him or her read!
- Get caught reading! Let your child see in you what you want to see in him or her – a lifelong reader. Let your child see you reading your latest novel, the newspaper, or a favorite magazine. Children need to see what reading for enjoyment looks like. Share with them what reading is like for you.
- Try books on tape. This is a great way to spend a long car ride, and you can check out many books at your local library or purchase them for a reasonable price from a book club or discount store. Individual headphones give your child flexibility to read almost anywhere, anytime!
- Make reading a happy time. Reading should be associated with pleasure, not punishment. Every book your child works through builds up their “reading miles,”
and makes him or her a better, more confident reader. Often, this takes time. Encouraging your child to reread familiar, safe books will give him or her the confidence needed to try new stories and text types.