For some younger kiddos, reading just isn’t fun. They’re often heard saying that it’s boring or that they can’t find a book interesting enough to hold their attention. They may even liken it to schoolwork, which isn’t always appealing. Because reading is often required for school assignments, it can add fuel to the “But I don’t like it!” fire. Parents may then resort to bribing their child to read, which can backfire in the long run. The good news? Making reading enjoyable for all—without bribery—is possible with these steps.
MAKE READING FUN
Starting a love of reading begins with choosing books they’ll actually want to read. Don’t expect them to jump right into long chapter books. Instead, encourage them to explore comic books, magazines, or picture books. Once they discover stories they enjoy, their love of reading will start to grow.
CREATE A READING NOOK
A calming environment filled with books, pillows, blankets, mess-free snacks, or even their favorite drinks makes for the perfect reading time. By creating a reading nook, they’ll begin to look forward to reading. Reading promotes relaxation and offers a chance to decompress. Instead of associating it with work, they’ll start to see it as a way to regroup and step away from the busyness of electronics, schoolwork, and extracurriculars.
CONNECT READING TO INTERESTS
As reading becomes a habit, kids may begin to branch out into other sections of the bookstore or library. Have a soccer player in the house? Suggest a book about soccer. Dancer? Painter? There are books about those too! By connecting their interests to reading, they’ll be more motivated to keep reading and learning about what they love.
READ TOGETHER
Sometimes when kids see their parents reading, they’ll want to join in. If that hasn’t happened yet, try reading books together—either side by side or as part of a “mini book club” where you read separately and then come together to discuss.
USE TECHNOLOGY
If holding a physical book isn’t their thing, try audiobooks or e-readers. Audiobooks allow them to consume stories in a new way and expand their reading time, while e-readers give them access to more books—and some screen time that isn’t devoted to video games or social media.
Fostering a love of reading without bribery takes time and won’t happen overnight. But with these steps, you can get the ball rolling—and before long, you just might have a house full of book lovers.
