How to encourage children to read more

How to Encoura ge Children to Read More • Books that have helped children read more! How do we encourage children to read more when we are living in an age of advanced technology? Today's children are exposed to many types of technological advances beginning at earlier and earlier ages. While this phenomenon has many advantages, it can also distract children from learning to enjoy one of life's simplest and most rewarding pleasures, reading! Many of today's children do not read for pleasure. Oftentimes, children will only read a book when it is required for school and even then, do so begrudgingly. This does not have to be the case and this article will share ways to encourage children to read more! Instructions Things You'll Need: • a variety of books in the home • a local library card • creativity and patience 1. Step 1 BEDTIME BECOMES STORYTIME The most important way to encourage children to read more is to model this behavior. Read to your children at

night (every night when possible). Keep it short and sweet (no more than ten minutes) and you may find your young children actually begin to look forward to going to bed. Imagine that! Allow your older children a twenty to thirty minute period to read independently before bed and be sure to present the opportunity to them as a special privilege that they have earned because of their age. A little flattery can go a long way to encourage children to read more! 2. Step 2 LOVING THE LIBRARY Another great way to encourage children to read more is to take a trip to your local library and get library cards for everyone. Help your children pick out high- interest books that are appropriate for their age and reading level. Encourage children to check out books related to things going on in their lives. For example: Your family is thinking about getting a pet. You can look for books about various types of pets (including some uncommon ones) and help your children do some informal research on the subject. Visit the library monthly, bi-weekly, or even weekly and keep those books coming to get children to read more! 3. Step 3 CHECK OUT WHAT I'M READING! Post reading logs in the home to help children monitor the books that they are reading as well as keep track of their progress. Let children fill out their own logs.

Keep lots of cool stickers and stamps on hand. Set goals for how many books should be read in order to earn a reward. Have your children help to decide on some of their prizes and rewards. (Hint: A trip to the local bookstore always makes a great reward!) This is a wonderful way to encourage children to read more! 4. Step 4 I'VE READ BOOKS 1 - 5! Book series are fabulous tools to encourage children to read more! If you have an especially reluctant reader, you may want to introduce them to a book series in order to help this type of child read more. This can get them excited about reading each numbered book in the series and ultimately finish them all. (This may work especially well for the child who excels at beating levels on their video games.) There are all types of book series for children of all ages and you can find them in any bookstore or library. 5. Step 5 READ NOW / WATCH LATER One way to make reading extra fun is to have your child read a particular book and then rent the movie version to watch later. They can even ask a close friend or two to read the book along with them and then pick a date to invite the friends over for a viewing party. (Hint: This is a good way to introduce or reinforce the concept of compare and contrast as well as encourage children to read more.)

6. Step 6 DO NOT DISTURB! WE'RE READING! Make reading an important part of your family's culture. Model the reading of great books for your children and you may be surprised at how their interest picks up. Try reading an additional copy of the same book as your young teen. Get into their world by showing interest in what interests them! Host family read-ins on rainy weekends. Have mini-book discussions over dinner and be sure to include everyone. Show enthusiasm, enthusiasm, and more enthusiasm and hopefully your children will begin to do the same and read more

How to encourage children to read more

by dianagamez1 on May 18, 2010

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