9 Ways to Get Your Child Excited to Read in 2017

Even if they have already gotten a library card, get them a book tote or a fun pouch to hold their card in, then take them to the library or a bookstore and let them explore for a while. Knowing that their card is theirs and no one else’s is an already enticing way to get them to want to hit the public bookshelves and take books home.

Whether they choose a book based on its cover, title, or plot summary, let them do the picking. If they’re younger, choose books based on animals or activities they like to start with. No matter their age, they’ll connect more with the story if it’s about something they’re interested in.

Knowing that there will be a movie to watch after reading a book is a good way to get screen-loving kiddos on board with books. Whether you read separately or together, watch the movie as a family so you can open up a dialogue about the differences between the book and movie — hopefully they’ll come up with a few and it will inspire them to discover the differences between other books and their film adaptations.

If you find that reading shorter books isn’t cutting it, try reading a chapter book aloud. If your little one knows how to read, have them read to you, or try splitting the chapters up. The team effort will make it exciting and having a bigger book to read in chunks will keep their attention for longer than a shorter book.

Sometimes all it takes to love reading is a series that spans many books. Whether it’s Harry Potter or The Chronicles of Narnia that takes their fancy, find a series that your child can get themselves lost in — they’ll want to know the fates of their favorite characters as the series goes on.

For little kids, alphabetical order is pretty moot, so you could organize by categories, like animal books. For older kids, consider grouping books by topic or genre, or you can go for the aesthetics of it and make a rainbow out of book spines. In addition, make sure your child can reach their books themselves so that they can read whenever the mood takes them. Having their collection easily accessible and organized in a way that makes sense will make reading more enticing overall.

Location, location, location. If reading in bed makes them sleepy or reading on the living room floor causes them to get antsy and reach for toys, build them a reading nook so they have a special spot just for reading. Whether you create a fort out of blankets or invest in a tent that you can add comfy pillows to, make the space theirs to discover stories in.

If your kiddo gets most motivated by rewards, that’s OK! Use reading as a reward system however it will work best for your family and your child’s reading capabilities — give them a reward after every X number of books or chapters read, gift them with the next book in a series after they finish the previous one, hand out stickers or lollipops after a successful library visit, or barter activities such as a screen time in exchange for minutes read.