How to Create a Reading List for Kids

To keep kids interested in reading, make a list of all the books they'll love to read.

Instructions

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

Things You’ll Need:

• Children's Books
• Journal
• Magazine Subscriptions
• Newspaper Subscriptions
• Library Cards
• Bulletin Boards
• Spiral Notebooks
• Computers

1. Celebrate the process by making the reading list itself an exciting, interactive activity.
2. Get a bulletin board, chalkboard, journal, notebook or computer and together collect book titles for the list.
3. Assign the kids to gather the first 10 titles, if they can manage. Younger children might pull picture books from the junior room; put them on the list and go from there.
4. Collect names from television shows, storytellers, favorite authors, Web sites, magazine and newspaper book reviews, friends and school reading lists.
5. Start a kids' book club, either virtual or in your neighborhood. Put up signs in school, libraries or activity groups.
6. Have book parties and swap book titles, dress up as favorite characters, and eat meals mentioned in books - such as green eggs and ham.
7. Clip notices of entertaining new books. Help the kids put their names on waiting lists for popular library books, and the books' titles on the reading list.
8. Make it a weekly activity to post new titles and check off titles that have been read. Keep your own list of books read, too.
9. Go to the library, book sales and garage sales for bargains.
10. Read aloud to each other.
11. Have kids read aloud to younger kids.
12. Read.

Tips & Warnings

• Listen to them. "Mommy, I love books about talking spiders" is a cue to investigate the world of talking spider books.
• Keep an eye on what they're doing in school, Girl Scouts, baseball or playgroup, too. Books on current activities are super reading bait.
• If a child is having a dilemma (bullies, broken legs, chicken pox), books on what's happening go a long way, too.
• Pay attention to what provokes laughter, curiosity or a healthy dose of fear. All are keys to what kids like.
• If your kids liked "The Cat in the Hat," they'll like the sequel, and probably many other Dr. Seuss books.
• Watch out for boredom cues. For example, "Not another book on those dumb triplet ballerina dancers. Bleech."