How to Encourage Your Kids to Read More: 5 Tips for Parents

Estimated reading time: 4 minutes

When kids read more, they can better understand other people’s points of view, which helps them interact with others and also helps them think about how they should react when put in similar situations. However, many children struggle with reading due to the different demands on their time from school, extracurricular activities, and socializing with friends. Here are some tips to help encourage kids to read more.

1. Make Reading a Family Activity

While reading has its inherent benefits, it also allows you to bond with your kids, and it can create positive memories that your kids will have for the rest of their lives. Spending time reading together can be enjoyable for both parent and child, and it can also open up a lot of discussion topics that can help you understand your kids better and vice versa. In addition, reading as a family activity will help your kids develop the habit of reading more often.

2. Don’t Stop at One Book!

Most kids are likely to be interested in reading just one book at a time. However, it’s essential to encourage them to read broadly. Otherwise, they will need to develop their vocabulary and critical thinking skills. You can do this by seeking out a variety of books they might like and by helping them track what they’ve read and where they can find more books like those.

Depending on your child’s reading level, you may want to select books that are at their level or slightly above so that they can stretch themselves. You can also choose books on topics that interest your child to encourage them to read more.

3. Turn off the Screens

Kids are constantly surrounded by screens, whether in school, on the bus home, or at home, completing homework. It’s important to limit screen time during school hours, but it’s also crucial to cut it out during other times of the day. It will help kids develop a love of reading and enable them to read and understand what they’re reading.

One way to do this is to agree with your child that they will read without screens for a set amount of time each day. You can also select books for your child to read that don’t have pictures, which might encourage them to focus on the words more.

4. Offer Rewards for Reading Milestones

Rewarding positive behavior is a great way to encourage kids to read more. More than encouraging them to read is required, as they must maintain the skill daily. You can also help them track their progress by having them record the books they’ve read and the amount of time spent reading each day.

As your child continues to read more often and complete reading-based milestones, like reading a set number of books or completing a reading challenge, you can offer them rewards like field trips or special treats. Doing this will encourage your child to read more often, as they will want to complete milestones to earn the rewards.

5. Take Them to the Library

If your kids have few books in their bedroom, or they don’t have many books that they’re interested in reading, bring them to the library so they can start building a library of their own. A library is a fantastic place where kids can find many books, and it also has books for toddlers.

At the library, you can help your child find the right books based on their interests, making it much easier to get them reading and keep them engaged in the books they’re reading. You can also ask them what types of books they’d like to read and then help them find those books at the library.

The Bottom Line

Children need to develop reading skills because it gives them access to ideas and information they may not be exposed to in other areas of their lives. In addition, reading is an excellent way for kids to develop their vocabulary, grammar, and critical thinking skills.