The Best Ways to Motivate Your Child to Read

According to experts, children develop the skills required to be good readers beginning at birth and continuing throughout infancy. Between the ages of three and five, your children are developing the skills they need to be good readers, and many parents are looking for ways to make the most of their time reading.

Reading is not only beneficial to your child's intellectual pursuits, but it has also been shown to benefit the family as a whole. As your child begins to learn new words, you can supplement their vocabulary with reading activities to strengthen their mental abilities and prepare them for school. Continue reading to learn some helpful hints for instilling a lifelong love of reading in your child.

Make Reading a Priority

Making reading a priority is one of the simplest ways to help your child become acquainted with and enjoy reading.

Set aside some time each day to read with your child. Reading can be done right before bed or during a break during the day. Avoid cramming too many activities into an already packed schedule, as this can make reading seem like a chore rather than a pleasurable stress-free activity.

Always set aside time to read aloud to your child, and look for books that combine interesting and colourful illustrations with engaging stories that speak to your child's interests. Continue reading aloud with your child as they enter school to help them develop a broader vocabulary and improve their storytelling ability.

Make It Fun

Making reading fun is one of the simplest ways to get kids interested in it. Finding opportunities to make reading exciting is more important than structure. Children in the car, for example, can develop better reading habits if their parents encourage them to read road signs or map directions along the way. Children can help in the kitchen at home by reading recipes during meal preparation.

Making reading enjoyable not only keeps children engaged, but it also helps them understand that reading is a part of every aspect of life. It has also been demonstrated that children who enjoy an activity perform it more confidently. This is especially beneficial for children starting school, as they will frequently be required to read aloud in front of their classmates. Children who have had extensive reading experience before entering kindergarten are more confident in themselves and are less likely to see reading as a chore, instead viewing it as an exciting activity that opens up a world of possibilities.

Involve the Entire Family

Another way to get children interested in reading is to involve the entire family. If you have older children, ask them to help you get younger children excited about reading. This collaboration between older and younger children will not only improve the younger child's reading confidence, but will also strengthen sibling bonds.

Choose books that have also been adapted into films and read them together to bridge the gap between adults and children. Read a book that has been adapted into a film, and then host a family movie night so that the child can compare the story in the book to the story on screen. Making the connection between a written work and something on the big screen is a great way to help children make the connection and become more interested in reading books to see how the stories differ.

Base Reading Choices on Your Child’s Interests

It may go without saying that most people do things that appeal to their interests; children are no exception. Always consider your child's interests and look for titles that reflect those interests. Even if a child is reluctant to read, books about things they enjoy will encourage them to read more frequently. Children are more likely to read if they do not perceive it as a chore. Feel free to ask questions as you read aloud to your child to help them develop critical thinking skills, and remember to focus on the story rather than exact pronunciations.

Mix It up

Another way to keep kids interested in reading is to keep it interesting. Though many children prefer fictional works, don't be afraid to mix in other genres. To get your child interested in reading, consider biographies, cookbooks, or even informational works.

Audiobooks are also a good idea because they are convenient for road trips or during your daily commute. Audiobooks, in particular, help children learn how to enunciate words and express emotions through written words. Libraries usually have audio versions of popular children's books, so check them out on your next visit.

Lead by Example

Children frequently take cues from the adults around them, and their primary role models are their parents and carers. If you are an avid reader, your child is likely to develop a love of reading as well. Go beyond simply showing them you're reading a book and explain what kind of book you're reading or relate what you're reading to books you've read with your children. Showing your children how important reading is to you will inspire them to value it as well.