10 Surprising Ways to Get a Child to Read

• Research shows that the best way to get children to read is for them to see you reading. Yes, that means you are totally allowed to lie on the couch and read a book instead of building yet another tower. Tell yourself it’s good for them to see you reading, and turn the page.
• Accept that your children have different reading tastes. To you. To each other. Captain Underpants might not be your cup of tea, but your six year old will probably think otherwise.
• Next time you have to wait at a doctors appointment, bring a book with you and read it with your child. Don’t let your child sit there playing on an iPad while you check your phone. It’s a waste of ten minutes when you could be exploring a whole new world together. It actually makes waiting fun.
• I’ve got four children, and my youngest is eighteen months and would much rather eat books than read them. When we read to the older two, we let him race about and climb stuff, with the occasional pause in our laps to turn a page. We’re not going to force him until he’s ready. Yes, reading’s good for kids, but they need to come to it in their own way.
• Go to Storybird.com . Right now. It’s the most gorgeous website and on it your child can write their own story by selecting their own pictures. You can even print the book out later (it’s pricey but worth it). My children love reading books they’ve written themselves more than anything.
• Look out for reading related events in your city. There are lots of events that are geared to children. And children will be excited to read a book that the author has just signed for them.
• Offer books like candy. Have hem around the house. Keep one in your bag. If your child is whiny or dragging on your leg, then pull out a book. It won’t always be what they want, but any distraction helps.
• With teens, go to the bookstore together. My teenager and I used to love to go for coffee and then browse the bookshelves afterwards. It was special time for us together, and, okay, she didn’t read everything I bought her – she would much rather be on Facebook than reading a novel – but she did sometimes pull out one of those books and settle in to read. You can also browse bookbloggers together. And if your teen is a keen reader, encourage them to perhaps start their own reading blog. Publishers are always looking for places for authors to blog tour and lots of those sites are run by savvy book-reading teens.
• Buy books as gifts. Yes, I know plastic, electronic stuff is popular. But it’s not as timeless. It’s not as valuable. It’s not as life changing.
• Spend time at your library. Our local library is always putting on fun events – puppet shows, readings, cool craft stuff, and when we go, we always stop off and read a book together.
• Okay, I know I was supposed to have ten ideas, but the more I think about it the more ways there are to make reading a natural part of the day. If your child likes a particular author, look up that writer online. Lots of authors have great sites with loads of activities that kids and parents can do together around reading favourite books. The more you enjoy books and make reading just a regular part of life, the more your kids will gravitate toward it. And it may be that they go through patches where they’re not into reading, but keep the doorway open, keep offering books and patience, and they’ll find their way.

Let me know what you do to get your child reading. How do you make reading part of your life and your child’s? Any tips you have, I’d really appreciate as I try to raise kids who love to read!

(Adapted from a post I did for Today’s Parent)