How to Get Your Kids to Read is a post from Bekki @ A Better Way to
Homeschool where we learn to train our children to become lifelong
learners. If you have enjoyed this post, be sure to follow Bekki on YouTube, Twitter, Facebook, Pinterest, and Google+!
I make my kids read. There. I admit it. This summer has been a bit
different though. Since I have to be off my feet for the summer, I am
personally reading. A lot. The side effect has been that I am watching
my boys grab books to read without being told. Apparently the example of
me reading has had an impact.
Read aloud to them.
Find
some cliffhanging adventures, mysterious mysteries, fantastic
fantasies, or stupendous science fiction stories and purpose to read
every day. I read to my boys at breakfast because I find my day slips
away from me. Oh. I almost forgot…
Always leave them hanging when at all humanly possible. 
Find a Book Mentor
I lost the ability to find great books for my older kids to read when my oldest passed the 500 words per minute mark. I needed help and I needed it fast.
- I took him to the local librarian (whom I trusted) and had him ask her for book recommendations. Perfect.
- Then I got my hands on resource books, like Honey for a Child’s Heart by Gladys Hunt (affiliate link below) and the Sonlight Curriculum Catalogue and used their recommendations.
- Then I asked my literary friends.
That’s it. I am positive that there many be more suggestions like create a reading fort out of sheets and blankets, pop up the camping tent in the yard and fill it with books and bean bags, build an amazing ship in the back by the trees with its own book shelf, or enter a book reading contest and offer a sweet reward but that’s all I’m sharing today.
Set a time, grab some books and make them read.
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Ashlee Mecham says
I listened to a CD recently about this topic and one thing they said that was new to me was to use reading as a reward. Typically we use food or screen time or something else as a reward, but they said let the kid get a new book or let them stay up late and read instead. Loved it! My kids love to read because I do the things you mentioned. Thanks!
Bekki says
I love the idea of a book reward. We have 5 boys who actually love to read (except my youngest who still is a struggling reader). When my oldest was little we actually would use taking away reading as a consequence for unwise behavior. You would have thought I was torturing the child.
I don't know about you, but i think there is a sweetness in the sight of a child who is gripped by a good book.
Thanks for taking a moment to share!!
Bekki