Unfortunately, not everyone likes reading. Sadly, with movies, TV shows, and phone games so accessible and prevalent these days, more and more children are staying away from reading. However, even without technology booming, there are so many reasons why children may not enjoy reading or have any desire to read. Isn’t that so sad? Reading is a way to have adventures that you could never have, and it helps spark creativity and imagination, and it’s just plain fun!
If you have a child who’s on the “I hate reading” train, then check out these 10 Unique Ways to Get Your Reluctant Reader to Enjoy Reading! Plus, there are links to FHD’s helpful resources!
Keep Reading
Even if your child isn’t interested in reading, don’t remove it from the daily activities. Make sure to keep a reading time in the lessons, so that it can establish a habit, and it establishes its importance.
It may be well-placed in the afternoon, if your child needs a little “down time”, but you can put it anywhere in your day, as long as it’s there!
Make it fun
Try to make reading interesting. Create a fun, relaxing reading space where they can go for reading time that is solely theirs. Reading is far more interesting when it’s in a cozy place as opposed to a hard chair in a classroom.
Perhaps place activities your child enjoys before or after reading time, so that they know they’ll enjoy the schedule of activities for the day. Or, if your child is an active child, and has trouble sitting still, check out Tips for Reading Aloud to Wiggly Children.
Use cross-curricular instruction
This won’t be difficult, since reading is involved in all subjects, but try adding it even more to subjects your child loves. For example, if your child loves math, then try to create or find stories that are math related. For example, they could read about famous mathematicians. (they don’t only need to read fiction!)
Or if your child is a history lover, then there are so many books they could choose from, even historical fiction. Check out List of 100+ Historical Fiction books for K-6. For each lesson, you could start off by adding in an excerpt from a story, and then begin to add in whole books, as their interest grows.
Buddy them up
Maybe part of the pressure of reading is having only you as both teacher and parent around to hear them. Maybe have them buddy up with someone else they enjoy and trust to see if you can’t kickstart their motivation.
For example, it could be another adult who has no involvment in their education, or it could be a friend or sibling. Maybe consider buddying them up with someone whose reading level is lower than theirs. It would be a great confidence-building activity for your child to help another child to read.
Be a model
Your child will much more likely learn motivation to read if they see you enjoying it as well! Establish a daily habit of reading, and have a bookshelf full of interesting books that you love!
Maybe when your child is silently and independently reading, you can read your own book at the same time to let them know it’s also something you enjoy.
Read aloud
Another way to share enjoyment of reading is to read aloud to your children. This could be at nighttime before bed, or you can include it during the day as well! Choose books that you can have fun with together, and it can be a special bonding time during the day.
To make sure read alouds become a part of your schedule, check out these Read Aloud Calendars!
Find the right book
Of course you want to allow your child to choose the genre that they are most interested in, but you want to make sure the level is acceptable for them. Oftentimes, children will grab a book that looks really cool, but they won’t realize they won’t actually be able to read it.
And, that can cause frustration and low self-esteem. Use their genre interest to guide them to a book that is on the appropriate level for them.
Head to the library
Bring your child to the local library, so that they can explore as they wish! And, you can provide access to wonderful reading resources that you wouldn’t have at home. Make library time fun, effective, and informative with these Library Lists such as this List of Great Children’s Books!
These lists will help guide you and your child around the library, so you can figure out what books are best. And, you have an idea of what kids might be interested in reading.
Combine it with other activities
Add fun activities to the books your child is reading to not only extend their knowledge but to help them further enjoy the book! For example, you could create a craft related to the story.
You could take a trip to a location mentioned in the book. Or you could even do something fun like Library Scavenger Hunts or a Reading with Expression Activity + Tips!
Build a reading community
Find other homeschool parents that are providing reading opportunities for their child and create a reading group. Perhaps your child won’t feel so alone in their struggle to read. In addition, they’ll see that other kids are enjoying it!
You can also check out your local library to see what reading groups, activities, and read alouds are going on, and you can get your child involved!
For even more resources to motivate your child to enjoy reading, check out our other great list of resources here:
- Reading Motivation Tips & Guide
- Online Reading Motivation Program for Grades K-8
- Top Reading & Spelling Tips for Autism
- 10 Tips on How to Motivate Your Child to READ!
Keri
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