We’ve all seen those kiddos that seem to always have their nose buried in a book. Heck, you might have one in your house... or maybe you were that kid yourself!
While some kids may have more of a natural disposition to be a bookworm, as parents, we can help foster a love of books and reading in our kids.
As former NFL star turned young adult author Tim Green says, “'If you don't love to read, you just haven't found the right book.”
Here are some ways to raise readers...
📕 Read aloud... often. Reading out loud to your kids even before they can talk (and well beyond when they can!) is a wonderful bonding activity that will help your kids in so many ways: language, reading, comprehension... and who can resist those cuddles?!
📕 Encourage them to read anything that they’re interested in... even if it is “too hard” or a style of book you wouldn’t have chosen (our kids are into graphic novels!). Help them with words they can’t sound out or may not know the meaning of.
📕 Find books on topics they love. Libraries and bookstores are great places to wander through and see just how many books there are out there. (If your library isn’t open at the moment, most now have browsing available online, too! Plus, there’s always Amazon. 😉) There is literally no topic on this planet that hasn’t had some kind of book written about it.
📕 Make sure your kids see you reading... and enjoying it! Although we get caught up on our phones (or maybe that’s just us!), grab a book, newspaper or magazine, curl up with a tea and let your kids see you really savoring that time.
📕 Encourage a quiet time in the house where everyone reads. We do this after our trips to the library when everyone is enthused to dive into new, exciting books!
📕 Create a cozy, inviting reading nook or space for your child to be able to go to and look through books or read on their own.
📕 Let your kids make up their own stories with characters from their favMorite books or have them color pictures from the book.
📕 Have your kids track their reading to get a sense of accomplishment as they see how many books they’ve read. (Grab our free book tracking printable that allows kids to track the books they’ve read and rate them!)
What do your kids love to read? Tell us in the comments. And be sure to follow us on social media @PLBFun for even more tips and fun daily.
