How to Interest Your Child in Reading

Summer reading list, not top of your kid's list?
Follow these hints to encourage your child to put down the remote and pick up a paperback.

Difficulty: Easy

Instructions

1. Do as I Do
   Make sure your kids are getting the message from you that reading is enjoyable. Get in bed a little early yourself now and then, pull up the covers and pull out a paperback. At my house we've just started reading night. Every Thursday night we all get in the king sized bed and read - to ourselves. My first grader gets he's weekly reading done for school and I get to relax with a good book.

2. Timers
   For those children who really resist reading, a kitchen timer is always a good option. Start with small increments like 5 or 10 minutes, then move on to 20 or 30 minutes.

3. Share an Adventure
   Even if your child is reading on her own, read to your child at least a few times a week. There are a lot of fun series type kids books out there that can be enjoyable even for adults. If you're enjoying the book too, it will be easier for you to turn off the nightly news and turn on the reading lamp. The "Who Shrunk Daniel Funk?" books are hysterical and there's always Harry Potter if you still haven't gotten around to it.

4. Hit the Book Fairs
   For best selection go the first day. But for best prices go the last day. Then you are usually allowed to fill up an entire bag with books for 5 to 10 dollars (and at my library you can bring your own extra large bag!). Kids have just as much fun as you do when they are told they can fill up a bag with anything they want. And when they find the books themselves, the books feel more like the treasures they really are. Call your local libraries or go on their websites for dates and times or try www.booksalefinder.com

Tips & Warnings

• Happy reading!

Resources

• more parenting advice

[mimithreeboys]

on 11/10/2009 useful advise