At The Story Room we are frequently asked for ways of encouraging children to read and for tips on what they should be reading. Encouraging reluctant readers to read for pleasure is sometimes an uphill struggle but it is worth the effort when you see them reading because they want to and not because they have been told to. Reading brings huge benefits to a child’s learning including; a broader general knowledge, improved vocabulary and better writing skills.
So how can you encourage a child who does not want to read, to pick up a book for pleasure?
Don’t be too prescriptive about what your child should and shouldn’t be reading. There is a lot of snobbery attached to what some people consider to the ‘right’ thing for their child to be reading. You may consider the classics a great read but if your child doesn’t want to read them then don’t force them! They may find the language tricky or the story unappealing. Your child should be allowed to read whatever they enjoy reading, even if you think it is below their reading level. It is by exploring that a child will increase their confidence to choose trickier books.
So with that in mind, here are some tips to getting your child reading for pleaure!
- Try and lead by example… Make sure that your child sees you reading, whether it be a newspaper, magazine or a book. It is especially important for a boy to see his a male family member reading.
- Talk about what you are reading with your child. If you are reading a book summarise the story for them in a child-friendly fashion. Children are naturally curious and will want to know what happens next. Talk to them about the articles in the newspapers and magazines that your read.
- Take your child to the library and spend some time reading and choosing books. There is a wide variety of literature in the library, including graphic novels, which may be appealing to boys in particular. Encourage them to take out a wide range of different types of books. The ones they don’t like, return to the library.
- Give your child time. Start off by reading to your child. A good tip is to start to a sequel e.g Harry Potter, The Spiderwick Chronicles, The Mysterious Benedict Society etc. then you could read the first book to them and then encourage them to read the next book independently.
- Reading does not have to be confined to fiction books. Try non-fiction books and magazines.There are great magazines for children on the market at the moment. If your child loves football, buy them a football magazine. If they love nature and exploring, buy them a nature magazine. You can get quite good deals on magazine subscriptions. One of my favourites is the National Geographic for Kids (it has pages about books too and book reviews … so you never know….).
- Have a book with you at all times. If you keep one in the car you can read to your child if you arrive early at your destination. Books are great for passing the time in waiting rooms or whilst waiting for siblings.
- Buy book tokens as presents, so your child can have the pleasure of roaming a bookstore and choosing from the delights on offer.
- Keep an eye out for author visits to libraries and local bookshops. Meeting an author and having a book signed is a way to enthuse a child to read the book!
- Don’t pack away books that you consider too young for your child; Children as old as 12 can still enjoy a picture book. Make sure your child has a wide range of books available to them… somewhere accessible.
- Ask your child to read to younger siblings. This is is a great way of sharing the joy of reading within the family.
How can we help?
At The Story Room we are dedicated to encouraging children to read. We discuss books in our workshops and invite children to talk about what they are reading. We read extracts from books and poems and promote new books that are being published. We also work closely with local authors and run workshops with them.
There are also Book Clubs for a variety of ages throughout term-time that your child can join. If the club is fully booked – let us know what age group you would like a book club for and we will see if we can add another club.
Leave a Reply