5 Ways to Get Kids Reading, No Books Involved

Does your child love reading? While there are many children that to do love reading, there are still some reluctant readers out there. Children who hate the idea of picking up a book or see reading as a chore. This makes it really difficult for parents to help their child to get up their reading level. Now we all know that reading is an essential part of life, beginning at school and taking you through your life and career. But how do we convince kids that reading is important? Yes, there are many books out there that make reading fun, such as Dairy of a Wimpy Kid and never to forget Dr. Seuss! Even with these amazing books, children can get still see reading as boring and ‘uncool’. So here are 5 ways to get kids reading with no books involved!

5 Ways to Get Kids Reading, No Books Involved:

1. Get literary materials that your child will love!

Focus on your child’s interests and hobbies. What do they love talking about or doing? If you child loves cooking, find some cookbooks or recipes that you can follow and make together. Maybe they’re a fan of football or basketball? Give them a copy of an illustrated sports magazine or the sports section of a newspaper. Something that they will be interested in reading in and enjoy reading about. Anything with words can be used as reading material, as long as your child is interested in that subject area.

2. Creative ways to read out loud.

Your child may hate reading alone in their head, so make it fun for them! Think of creative ways to read out loud. There are many studies that show that reading out loud to pets can improve reading performance and help with speech impediments. Pets are good for encouraging kids, as your child will know that they won’t be judged on their reading. Allowing them to practice reading in a safe place. If you don’t have any pets, you can try using your toys or finger puppets to tell stories. Role-playing is a fun way to act out stories. Practising different voices and actions is much more energetic than reading a book alone.

3. Surround them with various types of literature.

There are no rules to say that reading means reading an actual book or novel. Something simple of a cereal box or a pizza leaflet is still reading. Other “non-book” ideas include comics, instructions for a new toy, street signs or a Wikipedia article on dinosaurs (or any other interest). You can even use audiobooks, try finding an interesting book on audio for your child to follow along with. Audiobooks can also help your child learn how difficult words are pronounced, which is a common reason for kids not reading.

4. Create a cosy reading spot or story nook.

A cosy little place with all your child’s favourite things can be a great incentive to get kids reading. It doesn’t need to be expensive or take long to create. A simple bean bag, bookshelf, and desk will do. Curl up with your kids and read with or to them. This special place might be what your kid’s need and a perfect opportunity to spend some quality time with them. If you’re looking for some cool inspiration on cosy reading spots, check out our collection of cool story nooks for kids.

5. Play games to make reading fun!

Who doesn’t love games? All kids love playing games, so make reading a game. The obvious ones are board games like Scrabble or Pictionary. But computer games, especially role-playing games (RPG) such as Pokémon also can get kids reading. RPG games are really great, as your child can pretend that they are the main hero in the story and follow the adventure through, improving all sorts of skills including creativity and problem-solving skills.

See our list of 28 best board games for 6-year-olds for more ideas.

How do you encourage your kids to read?

When it comes to encouraging reluctant readers to read, it is important to be supportive and not forceful. Finding the right balance between reading and fun time can be hard, but I hope these tips have been useful. Above all give your child lots of choices around the house and options to read. You’ll slowly see a difference in your child’s attitude towards reading.

Do you have any other tips to encourage children to read? Share your thoughts in the comments below. For more ways to encourage kids to read, check out our 5 quotes about reading by Dr. Seuss.