3 Easy Ways to Motivate Your Kids to Read

Opening our kids’ eyes to the importance and power of reading is a hard job. We know that reading is a vital skill to learn as well as an indicator of future success. So at times, our enthusiastic encouragement for our kids to read more may come out a little too overbearing.

So, I have made it easier for you to motivate your kids to read without the nagging and stress that comes with it. Find something that works for your child and stick with it.

Participate in a reading challenge. Find a book that motivates your child and plan a reading challenge based on that book. For example, your child may like a certain book series or be interested in a specific topic. Explore different genres with your child to see what they are interested in. Then, set a goal on how many books your child will read, track his/her progress, and plan something fun to do when the goal is reached.

Read inspirational quotes. Inspirational quotes can help us focus on a goal and take action toward improvement. Quotes about reading books can help reinforce the importance and greatness a love of reading can hold. Check out this article Reading Quotes For Kids and parents to read fun and encouraging quotes aimed at helping your kids want to read more.

"The whole world opened up to me when I learned to read."-Mary McCleod Bethune

Track the number of books your child has read. Find an easy way to keep track of books as your child finishes them. Write down the names of the book titles, color in a chart, or take a quick picture of your child with each book. Whatever is easiest! Once your child reaches a goal, have a celebration.

Read aloud often and whenever you can. Reading aloud is beneficial to all children- even older kids that are independent readers. When you read aloud, you model fluency, teach new vocabulary, and are able to have rich conversations about the events in the story. Plus, it is a great way to connect with your child. Find a book you will both enjoy and read a chapter a night before bed. To make it even more motivating, pick a book that has been turned into a movie and plan a movie night after finishing the book.

Help your child find just-right books. Kids often report that they have a hard time finding books they like to read independently. Spend some time discovering what books are just-right for your child.

1. Ask your child what interests them.

2. Look at the cover and flip through the book before starting to read. Are they still wanting to read this book?

3. Have them read one page out of the book. How many words did they struggle with? If it is more than three, the book is too challenging for them to read independently right now. It is likely to cause them frustration and they will want to stop reading.

4. After they successfully read most words on a page, ask a comprehension question to make sure they understood what they read. If they did, this is a just-right book for your child.

5. Ask your child’s teacher or librarian for suggestions if you are still struggling to find just-right books for your child to read independently. They will be more than willing to help!

Kids will value reading when they see how important it is to you. Continue to make it a priority and use these easy ways on your journey to turn your children into lifelong readers.

Jenn writes at her blog healthyhappyimpactful.com. She’s a mom of three looking to learn and grow. Check it out if you love helpful tips on health, family, and personal growth.