10 tips for raising readers
In a world of instant gratification, computers in our back pockets, and endless access to television and online games, encouraging your kiddo to get lost in the world of books might feel impossible.
How do you compete with all of the noise and stimulation and raise children who will enjoy the slower pacing of a book?
Here are 10 tips to encourage reading at all ages:
1. Have books on display in your home.
Organize them in a fun or decorative way–or don’t! Having books visible throughout your home, as part of your every day, promotes the value of reading in your family.
2. Encourage reading during downtime.
If your kiddo is ready to drop their afternoon nap but still needs quiet time during the day, set out age-appropriate books, from board books to picture books, that they can explore even if they can’t read the words. Set a timer for older kids to read when they have downtime and have a book handy in the car for when you’re driving to and from practices.
3. Create a designated, screen-free reading area in your home.
Make it cozy with blankets, pillows, and good lighting. Place a small bookshelf or book basket for organizing. Let your kiddo help put the space together.
4. Make trips to the library a regular part of your routine.
Whether it’s once a week or once a month, the practice of going to the library and picking out books can instill a sense of reading as a part of your regular habits, like going to the grocery store or taking a bath.
5. Embrace different types of books.
From picture books and graphic novels to chapter books or gaming books–encourage your kids’ literary interest at all levels and let them explore different formats and genres.
We Recommend: A great graphic novel series like Dogman can help reluctant readers stick with a book and build their reading stamina.
6. Figure out what your kid loves and help them find books that fit those interests.
Whether it’s certain types of characters, authors, or subjects, encourage them to ask the librarian for recommendations and also how to search for those categories in the library’s online catalog.
Here are some of our favorites:
Science Comics (ages 7-13)
The Questioneers (ages 6-8)
Nathan Hale’s Hazardous Tales (ages 8-11)
Hilde Cracks the Case series (ages 6-8)
A FEW FOR YOU: Books by Hoosier women
7. Read to your kids.
Series help little ones connect with familiar characters across multiple books and excite them to read more. Reading together isn’t just for the little ones. With older kids, find a chapter book to read each night before bed, giving you a chance to talk about what you are reading and how they connect to their own worlds.
We Recommend: The Little Blue Truck (ages 1-4) or Elephant and Piggie (ages 4-8).
8. Read with your kids.
Show them what a reader looks like! Read next to your kiddo–while hanging out at home or waiting on your next oil change. The more they see you enjoying books, the more it will appeal to them, too.
LOOKING FOR EVEN MORE?
Check this BIG list of picture books for Black History Month.
9. Help your kids see themselves in stories.
Books that show kids being kids, such as starting preschool, learning to tie their shoes, having trouble with friends, or learning how to be a big sibling, can help them connect with stories or characters and help them find more value in reading those books.
10. Listen to books.
Audiobooks may help your child focus and can be something they turn on when they are doing other things like chores, playing with Legos, or drawing. Listening can be an accessible way to develop reading comprehension and a love for stories.
Bonus tip: Let them choose their books without critique.
Give your children the freedom to explore different, appropriate books without your critique.
They will go through phases of wanting the same books read over and over (hello, Pig the Pug for the 100th time), or they may bring home library books about “Small Animal Care” when you don’t own a small animal (*speaking from experience*).
Get curious, ask why they chose those books, and encourage their love of reading!
