How to Raise Kids Who Love to Read

I don't think I need to go into detail about how important reading is to developing children. The research is out there in heaps. For starters, fostering a love of reading creates strong critical thinking skills, better concentration, and can really give them confidence in school.

It's easy to know that kids should read, it's another thing to convince them to read! After all, reading is a challenge and it can be hard for little ones to sit still for any length of time. So, what steps can parents take to have their kids excited about reading time?

Here are my tips for turning kids into readers.

1. Start young—really young.

The best way to convince kids to read is make it a part of their routine before they are old enough to not want to. Even newborn babies can benefit from the sound of a loved one reading to them. Make a little time every night and you may even find it helps transition your kids from play to sleep!

2. Show by example.

Kids copy their parents. That's no secret. We notice it most when they are emulating our bad behaviors, but why not set some good examples as well? Have a time where the whole family sits down and reads together. You can share a book or have everyone reading quietly to themselves. It doesn't matter what you read, books, magazines, newspapers, etc. It just matters THAT you are reading and they can see you.

3. Get into character.

Don't afraid to be silly. Use different voices for each character (the sillier, the better!). Whisper when things are spooky or shout when it is exciting. The more you get into it, the more your kids will!

4. Ask questions.

Everyone seems to focus on the mechanics of reading. Kids need to learn letter sounds and phonetics, but comprehension is equally as important. Ask questions like "What do you think will happen next?" or "Why do you think the character did that?" It gets them involved in the story and thinking about what they are reading.

5. Follow along with your finger.

As you read, use your finger to follow the words. This helps your kids understand we read from left to right and recognize patterns in sight words. You can even stop on often repeated words and see if they can remember them. You will be surprised by how much of a favorite book a kid can remember! Be sure to celebrate when they get a word right as encouragement can go a long way in establishing an early love for reading.

6. Read picture books.

Picture books are a great way to get their mind thinking of story process. Let them create their own story with the pictures. There are some really great options out there. Even if your kid can’t actually read, consider it reading if they sit and look through the pictures of a book (even one with words).

7. Let them choose.

Every kid is different. I have one kid who loves getting wrapped up in adventure stories and another who loves learning from non-fiction books. Give them lots of options and see what sticks. Don’t worry so much about if they choose some books below their actual reading level. It doesn’t always have to be a challenging book, as long as they are enjoying it! If your kid has a favorite subject (space, dinosaurs, animals, etc) steer them towards those books. National Geographic has a wonderful series for kids about all sorts of topics!

If you have trouble deciding which books, check out a few of my favorites!

My Top Wordless Children's Books

• Mr. Wuffles by David Wiesner
• Chalk by Bill Thomson
• The Lion and the Mouse by Jerry Pinkney
• Bow-Wow’s Nightmare Neighbors by Megan Cash

My Favorite Children's Authors

• Mo Willems
• Dav Pilkey
• Sandra Boynton
• Tedd Arnold
• Dr. Seuss
• Shel Silverstein
• Jonathan D. Miller

Favorite Books to Read Together

• My Father's Dragon by Ruth Stiles Gannet
• The Book with No Pictures by BJ Novak
• Tap the Magic Tree by Christie Matheson
• Chicka Chicka Boom Boom by Bill Martin, Jr. and John Archambault
• Giraffe and a Half by Shel Silverstein