How to Encourage Reading: Part 2

If you haven’t reviewed my previous list, check out How to Encourage Reading: Part 1. This is my second list of tips to encourage young readers.

• Talk about the books. Talk about the pictures, colors, and point out letters (pre-reader). Talk about the characters (did they have anything in common with your child, for example). If the story had a moral, talk a little about that. Ask your child what they think the story was about. For more advanced readers, ask about plot, main character, problems/solutions, etc. Tell your child your opinions too ("This illustration was my favorite because it reminds me of baking cookies with my grandma!")
• Celebrate books. For book holidays, find ways to celebrate too! Serve up green eggs and ham during Seuss week, which is the week of March 2nd. World reading day is April 23.
• Make a book nook. Set up a small closet or corner of a room that is a comfy spot with plenty of books. This will make reading both accessible and something to look forward to.
• Bathtub books. There are small waterproof books that are perfect for bath time.
• Read a book, and then watch the movie. As a reward for reading a book, watch the corresponding movie. For example, we read The One and Only Ivan as a family before watching the movie. You can also ask questions, such as: What was different about the movie? What did you like better about the book? Is that how you imagined the main character?
• Repeat. It’s completely fine for young readers to read the same books over and over. In fact, this may help build their confidence and give them extra practice pronouncing words.
• Start a book club. This works best for kids who can read somewhat independently. Aim for short, fairly loosely structured sessions to keep it fun. Serve book-themed snacks, tie in some activities. For example, you can make a simple birdfeeder after reading Gloria Whelan’s Homeless Bird.
• Try a subscription box. There are a lot to choose from, such as My First Reading Club, Bookroo, KidArtLit. They can vary by age and price considerably. Check out Crate Joy’s 2021 best book box list.
• Get a reading light. One of my reader’s likes to read in bed. There are even these cool neck lights you can get on Amazon.
• Get in character. Use silly voices for book characters, puppets, or even dress up for the part when you’re reading to your kids. Encourage them to use silly voices for their characters as they become more confident readers.
• Give the gift of reading to others. You love reading so much that you want to spread that love to everyone, right? Give books as gifts to friends, as party favors at a birthday party, for Christmas, and more. Check out this previous post for some ideas, as well as this post for our favorite books. 
• Accessorize. Bookworms need cool bookmarks. Consider giving your child a cool bookmark like this as a reward after they read a certain number of books: splat book mark, timer book mark, light bookmark.
• Buy books at the book fair. Book fairs are typically held annually at school. Children will often buy pens, sticker, and other knickknacks. Visit with your child about books they might be interested in or review the book fair site in advance with your child. Find books they are interested in. Book fairs are great because they also generate funds for schools and libraries.
• Read to a buddy. A reading buddy is a nonjudgmental listener. They can read to their pet or a toy, for example.
• Read to their sibling. Older siblings can read out loud to younger siblings. This helps both children find enjoyment in reading, helps them bond, and allows the younger sibling to see how much fun reading can be.
• Find funny books. Listen, if all else fails, get you a funny book. I didn’t plan on writing a book about potty humor, but guess what: My kids LOVE it. Hearing them laughing and enjoying books is what really matters.
• Stop at the cliffhanger. Find a book with a nice cliffhanger that your child has never read. Read just until the cliffhanger, and then let your child take over reading. They’ll be incentivized to find out what happens next.
• Invest in personalized books. There are plenty of personalized book companies out there that will make a book with a character that looks like your child and is named with your child’s name.
• Show interest. Children love attention. When they read, take special care to give them extra attention and positive reinforcement. Ask them about the book and what they liked. Show interest in books they like. For example, I don’t care for Dog Man graphic novels, but you better believe that I act like I’m on pins and needles when my daughter tells me about what she’s reading. She reads them to me, and I enjoy the book through her excitement.
• Check out bilingual books. If your child is interested in learning another language or if another language is near and dear to you, bilingual books are becoming more popular. Alternatively, you can find a book in an alternate language that your child already owns in English. 
• Play road trip games. We look for words in alphabetical order on road trips. For example, a road sign my say “Austin next right”, then “Bump ahead”. This is a fun way to pass the time while getting kids to read. From personal experience, it's best not to start this game in the middle of the Arizona desert where there are rarely signs...  
• Reach out. Ask other parents with children your child’s age for tips. I’m in several book club groups on Facebook, and I am always seeing parents reaching out for book ideas for their children. I see this often from parents of tweens and teens.
• Don’t give up. It will not happen overnight. It will take patience, but it’s so worth it once they find a book that really lights that fire for them. Try different tactics and try some of the same tactics again for different children or when they are a different age. The point is... keep trying.
  • But if you're like me, it sometimes feels like we have so much pressure as parents/caregivers to do ALL THE THINGS. Cut yourself some slack too! You do not have to do ALL THE THINGS. You do not have to try everything on this list next week. Keep it in your back pocket to help you along the way. It's a marathon, not a sprint! <3

​Happy reading!