10 Tips to encourage your child to read

Reading is a way of life, but not all kids feel this way. It’s important to help kids have a love for reading. If your child is struggling with developing that love for reading, here are 10 tips to encourage reading in your family.

10 ways to encourage reading

#1. Read with your child- One of the best ways to encourage reading in your child is to read with them.

#2. Listen to your child read- With each book your child reads, they become more and more confident. Never be afraid to listen to your child read.

#3. Make the story come alive- Encourage reading in your child by making the story come alive. Make the characters have different voices when you read to your child, don’t be afraid to add excitement.

#4. Hype up reading- You’re not lying to your child if you hype up reading and make it sound exciting. My kids know I love to read. We joke about how my favorite part of our Disney Cruise last summer was being able to sit and read on the beach!

#5. Read in front of your children- So many adults stop reading whenever they’re done with schooling. Don’t be one of those people, always read in front of your children.

#6. Ask them questions- Children love when you think they know stuff. Ask them questions that pertain to the books they’re reading. My kids constantly surprise me with the little tidbits they retain from the books they read at school.

#7. Buy your child books- There is so much love in reading whenever you buy your child books. They become proud of their books and want to spend time reading and understanding them. We like to go on “dates” to the bookstore. The kids each pick a book and we enjoy a frozen yogurt!

#8. Join a book club- Kids can get involved in book clubs too. If your child has a passion for reading, this is one way to keep that passion alive.

#9. Help them learn new words– Some kids get frustrated that they don’t understand all of the words when they read. Spend some time helping your reader learn new words.

#10. Set attainable goals– Don’t set goals for your child that they will never achieve. Set attainable reading goals, so they get excited about reading and learning.

What are some ways you encourage reading in your children? How else do you encourage your child to develop communication skills and critical thinking skills?

As parents we want our children to succeed. That is why we encourage reading. Another way to give our kids a leg up in today’s world is to encourage them to learn new languages. Until I was five and my parents decided to move from an overseas Air Force Base to the states, I spoke English and Tagalog (a Filipino dialect) fluently. Sadly, I no longer speak Tagalog but I can often understand it and respond–in English. I took French for over 6 years when I was in high school and college. I also grew up in South Florida where learning Spanish was emphasized. I spent a bit of time learning Arabic.

Languages can be fun!

This post is supported by Speekee–Spanish for kids. Speekee is a video based Spanish learning system that teaches Spanish to kids by immersing them in real Spanish locations with real Spanish kids.