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Reading to Your Kids

Family reading should begin in infancy and extend through life. There are no grade or age limits at which family reading should stop. Reading together, whether aloud or silently, creates an atmosphere where children are likely to love books. Here are some additional ways to instill a love of reading in your child:

Permit children to stay up half an hour later at night—if they're in their beds reading to themselves.
Encourage children to read whatever they like during that prebedtime. Don't insist that they read grade-level material. Comics, cartoons, sports magazines, easy material and books read multiple times are all good for reading enjoyment. If they love reading, they will expand their interests as their reading improves.
Model reading: Always keep a book around that your children see you enjoying. Newspapers and magazines will also do the trick.
Regularly visit public libraries with your children. Encourage them to attend story hours at an early age, and when they're old enough to ride to the library on their bikes or public transportation, encourage regular visits. Visit and wander through public libraries in new cities as part of your travel and explorations.
When shopping in malls or on main streets, stop by bookstores and browse and even purchase books. Encourage your children to choose books they'll read and later cherish.
Monitor TV watching and limit video games. If this becomes a power struggle, you may find using a plug lock very effective. If you cannot find a plug lock in your area, call 800-475-1118 for help in finding one.
Classroom contests and rewards for numbers of books read can motivate most children. Keep the numbers reasonably small to encourage even the slow readers.