How to Instill A Love of Reading in Your Children
Monday, January 11, 2010 at 12:38AM
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Lead by example.
If you want your children to read more then they need to see you reading. Children like to do what their parents do. You can not expect to develop readers in your family if you do not even have a book in the house.
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Set aside a special time to read.
If you have infants or toddlers, a great time to read is just before bedtime as part 
of the bedtime routine. With a small child, choose a book with colorful pictures and ask questions about the pictures. Soon they will start imitating you and begin to “read” the books as well.
At first you will need to read to your child. Eventually when the child begins read, he still will enjoy listening to a book that is too difficult for him to read. If you read a chapter each day he will look forward to finding out what happens to the characters in the book. If your child is reading independently, be sure you read a book you are interested in along with her. It can be for as little as 10-15 min a day.
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Go to the Library.
Take a trip to the library every week. Your child can then find books that interest them. If your child is interested in dance or soccer encourage her to get a book on the subject. If art is an interest there are numerous books on great artists, works of art or art techniques. You want to make reading fun and interesting.
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Pick books that are attractive to your child.
For example, if your child has a short attention you may want to pick books initially that have lots of pictures and just talk about the pictures. Ask questions about what you have just read to them. Get an audio book along with the book in print so that your child can listen and read at the same time. Keep it simple and fun
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Increase the time you spend reading.
After you have read consistently for 4 weeks for a certain time each night, you might be able to increase the time you spend reading. If your schedule allows, try reading more times per day. Make sure you have books available near the TV for the children to pick up as an alternative to watching TV.
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Take a book everywhere you go.
Keep books available in the car and read if you are waiting for one of the children. Make sure they take a book on long trips, on vacation, or when they visit grandparents.
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Don’t get discouraged.
It may seem that your child is not as interested as you want them to be. Over time, if you do the actions outlined above on a consistent basis, they will have the habit instilled in them.
What have you done to instill reading in your child?
Reader Comments (30)
When I became a mom I decided to start reading to my children very, very early. I think Cole was 4 months old or so when I started reading a few books. "Goodnight Moon" has always been one of my favorites.
I remember a friend noticed this and said that she never considered reading to her 1 year old. So for the next holiday I purchased "Goodnight Moon" in board book version and presented it to them.
Well, it was a huge hit! She was astonished with how much her son loved the book and how bonding the experience was for them. It became a nightly ritual, to read that book.
So, I completely agree with you that reading to a child is very important and will have long lasting effects. You can start at any age!
There is absolutely no question that reading to children from a young age is very beneficial. My children have always had a love for reading, and I think part of the reason is not only that I read to my children from a very young age, but also because I LOVE to read! By example I taught my children how important reading is.
To this day my girls still talk about how proud they were to tell their teachers that their mom was reading Huckleberry Finn to them at an age when most children were still reading much easier books. They all still love to read more than just about anything else. Although smaller children may require simpler books, I also believe that children just like the idea of having a book read to them, no matter what it is, and that's the most important lesson a child can learn!
We don't have cable (which is an excellent way to promote reading and also $100 per month back in your pocket) so the terms here are pretty simple. Creating an atmosphere of reading cannot be over-stressed. If kids grow up with the impression that reading is just what people do, it can carry on through their teens -- two of my three teenaged daughters read for pleasure and my 8-year-old considers it part of her life as well.
An interesting trend is one of my teens likes to read blogs and fan fiction (I know). So I've had to, like, reeducate her. I try to encourage her to read things by authors who were paid to write them.
My mistake, I think, was believing wrongly that encouraging reading was enough. As kids get older we should find a way to teach them to be discerning readers as well as avid ones.
Roxanne, your posting reminded me of how much I loved to be read to as a child. I was a bit older (9 years old or so) and was considered too old for such things, but my grandmother would indulge me. I loved it. It didn't matter what she read to me. I just loved to hear her voice, reading the story to me.
I wonder if you continue to read to children, even when they get much older, if that could have benefits too. Even teens!
Uhm.. well my youngest is 16 now, and there is NO way she'd let me read to her! HAHAHA. But, I frequently mail books I've read to one of my adult daughters, and my oldest LOVE to read and write in college now. I think every little bit helps!
Ah Tony, we don't have cable either, and I asked my daughter the other day if we should get a basic package (I really just want to watch the olympics, otherwise I don't watch at all). She said "what for?" LOL But, if I said we should consider turning off the Internet I'd never hear the end of it! (she reads books online constantly, btw).
Tony, my hat is off to you. We do have cable here and I have thought about getting rid of it. I know many families who did away with their TV and were very happy with the results.
Your point about encouraging good reading material is a good one. Still it seems that reading is reading and as long as they are picking up a book or reading fanfiction, it can't be that bad. Of course there are exceptions to that rule, but overall it is a huge step above TV.
I have resisted the temptation to join the video game craze. There is something called Game Cube that my son's friends love. We don't have it and I'm so glad. There's something insidiously addictive about video games.
Roxanne, I have to admit (shh, don't tell anyone) that I enjoy it when my husband reads to me! We haven't done it in a long time, but he used to read fairy tales to me at night. It was sweet.
I read to my children as soon as they were born. I loved snuggling with them and reading. After we read several books we would make up stories of our own and each would add to the story.
My daughter had an attention deficit and was a slow reader. Reading aloud to her was a good way for her to get the material. If she had a report to write she would tell me and I would write it down for her. Today she writes amazing stories and loves reading. She never lets me read to her anymore but she loves reading to me. (she is 21)
It is very important to read to children at a young age. As I've got slightly older I've found that I read less and less. I used to read a lot and always enjoyed English at school.I'm only 22 but I think I might just be a picky reader.
As for things like computer games, I think there can be room for them as they can help to learn many other skills such as time management, logic and being competitive. Obviously it's all about creating a balance I think.
I'll obviously have to wait until I have children to learn this first hand though!
Hi,
I think reading aloud to children and discussing books with them, would instill a love of reading in them.
Laya
Mark
I do think there needs to be a balance that includes video games. I will admit I was opposed to the game systems when my children were growing up. My husband one the arguement and we gave one to our children for christmas that year. My son was the avid reader and after we got the syestem I never saw him pick up another book the entire time he was in middle and high school.
He is now 23 has a degree in motion graphics and does amazing work. I dont think he would have pursued that career without video games. He still plays video games and has picked up reading again.
Wow, interesting!
I guess the problem that I see with video games is the lack of balance. They are so addicting and so hard to control. Kids can spend an entire day in front of the screen and never just decide to turn it off. I see parents get into a chronic argument of "turn that off", but the child will sneak back to it.
I suppose if you had strict rules which were obeyed it could work, but anything that causes that sort of addiction is a little scary to me.
As it is, we don't have it in the house, but his friends do, so he gets a taste of it. Usually there are arguments about whose turn it is.
Julia, what are some of your favorite books for very young children? My kids are 6, 3 and 1. Thanks!
Hi Julia,
What kind of books do you recommend for children who are 3-4 years of age and what about those who are 5-6 years of age?
Laya
Very insightful discussion. Reading is a value that has been passed down in our family. My mother read to me when I was little, I read to our children when they were little, and now our daughter is pregnant and collecting books to read to her new baby!
One of my greatest joys was reading to our children when I put them to bed at night - other times too, but bedtime was special. It seemed to give them a sense of security before going to sleep.
We had some video games in our home, but we kept them in our family room so there was the ability to exercise more control. We never allowed the kids to have them in their room. We also had to approve the games and set a time limit when they started so they knew the expectations. Still had some disagreements, but defining limits at the start seemed to keep the arguing down.
I also think that it's very interesting that much of the hype about the new Apple iPad is about them taking market share away from the Amazon Kindle Reader! By the way, the Kindle Reader is one of Amazon's hottest selling items. It doesn't look like reading is going away any time soon, but perhaps the paper format will diminish. Although I still prefer being able to turn the pages. Just an old fuddy-duddy I guess.
Books are beloved in our house! They are in every room and scattered and stacked in places they probably shouldn't be. My husband and I have always been avid readers, and we want the same for our kids.
I began reading to our now eight-year-old son when he was in the womb. (Yes, I know, but I figured it couldn't hurt. And I memorized Mr. Brown Can Moo.) We have read to our kids almost every day since. After my son learned to read when he was five, we didn't want to punish him for his accomplishment by taking away our bedtime reading ritual, so we continued to read aloud to him at night, and still do. Last year, I read all 4100 pages of Harry Potter to him at bedtime, and it's tough to judge which of us loved the experience more.
I blogged recently about my frustration that this same son doesn't yet read for pleasure on his own. (http://tinyurl.com/yfxpajr) But I am not giving up, because a person who learns to love reading can access a world limited only by the edges of human imagination. I'll keep working on my son and encouraging my daughter (who is just now learning letter sounds). Until my kids are grown and out of the house, they will always be surrounded by reading and books.
My father has told my kids numerous times that I learned to read by looking at the Sports section of the newspaper as a kid. I wanted to follow sports and that was the motivation. My wife and I read to both kids when they were younger. Both went from sight reading words to full out reading in Kindergarten. My daughter has been very actively reading for two months now and reads books to me.
We have overflowing book cases for the kids which seems a bit unusual in the age of video games. Some online sites like Club Penguin do have tools to help kids read.
Watch out world because she is now pretty good at spelling so we can't spell words to discuss something in front of her.
Rob
I published an article on the same topic back in the early nineties, and it's been reprinted several times (see http://www.eduguide.org/Parents-Library/Adolescent-Books-Library-157.aspx)--and I DID get paid to write at least the first version. :-)
In my experience, the "mostly mental" computer games such as Minesweeper are just as addictive as the high-action games. So are crossword puzzles and their ilk. So is reading, for that matter. I've been so "hooked on books" most of my life that I was out of college by the time I finally gave up eating, conversing, and yes, watching television with one eye on the page. Even now, I have to schedule occasional "cold turkey" days to keep the habit under control! I guess the moral is: (1) everyone gets addicted to something, so make sure that in your family it's the healthier activities; and (2) mix in a few other things to keep the addiction from reaching the "can't do ANYTHING without it" stage.
Laura and Laya
for small children 1 year and younger I think it is important to have books with mostly pictures. You can ask the child to point to or name pictures. Books are a great way to build language.
For 1-3 year olds I like the Hungry Catepiller, Good Night Moon, Brown Bear Brown Bear, and anything that rhymes.
For all other children I think you should let them guide you. My favorite books were not my childrens favorites.
Katherine has some great suggestions in her article on how to make the most of the trip to the library.
This is a fascinating topic to me. The subject of reading to children brings back fond memories to me.
When my son was young it was part of our bedtime ritual that I would read to him. He was a very sick little boy. To date, he has had 5 heart surgeries as well as several other non-cardiac operations. When he was younger, the cardiologist told us we had to try not to let him get upset.
Over time, we found that reading to him was one way to keep him calm and had a relaxing affect on his heart and body. I wanted to be a hands-on father, so I was the one who put him to bed at night. I can still remember reading to him while sitting in the rocking chair.
When he became a little older, reading became not only a method of helping to keep him calm, it also became a life teaching tool. For the others in this blog who asked what books are recommended for what ages, I would suggest the Franklin books for young
children.
Franklin is a young turtle who has many different adventures. As he grows, he learns about challenges and obstacles. He learns about relationships and about lying. He learns that everyone has different fears and it is okay to be scared. In my opinion, these are good stories to share with children because even with parents and loved ones to guide them through life, the world is still a scary place for a child. Teaching children about life through stories is a memorable, enjoyable, and worth-while experience.
I agree that having a game system in the house can certainly detract from the likelihood of children reading. We have an xbox-360. When I was growing up we had some hand-held games and also a TI-99/4A computer. I was frequently on the computer playing games. I did not read very much for enjoyment when I was younger. However, I have found that reading the right books is part of an important activity to keep my life balanced. Reading a positive or thought-provoking book in the morning helps strengthen and calm my mind for the entire day. I am a firm believer that what you put into your mind can be as important as what you put into your body.
Jim
Jim,
What a heart-warming story on your son's challenges and victories. Reading is such a wonderful opportunity to expand the imagination and will. It's encouraging to hear how you used this as an important strategy in calming your child.
I have two nephews who are avid readers. The older one is a super pleaser and the younger one a challenged learner (I think he's smarter), but incredibly creative and talented in the charm department. Now, they're competing to accumulate books and stories to retell. Each is a regular and and appreciative patron of the local library. My sister is wonderful at encouraging reading and being a great influence on her klids by example (she's a high school Spanish teacher and embraces learining in a much bigger way than most of her peers).
And, I don't agree that printed books will be a thing of the past. There's just something about cuddling and turning pages of a book on your lap that will never be the same as viewing a computer screen or a reader. Even some kids still get this.
I am quite touched by all the stories here. Jim, your story is incredible. Thank you for sharing such a personal experience.
I have to say that this discussion has reminded me that I had fallen off on my nightly reading with my children. I used to read more than I have lately. It is so easy to get distracted with other activities and forget the cuddling time and just read a long story.
Since we have been talking about this I have been reading with my son (who is 6) each night. He loves it and I do too. Thank you for reminding me about the important things in life.
I often wonder where I got my love of reading from. I grew up in a poor household where books were nowhere to be found. I decided that with my own child, things would be different. She was reading early, the library would not allow membership for anyone under 6 years. I was able to persuade them to give her a card at 5, so she could pick out her own books. I showed her what aisle to go to and how the books were sorted. She became an avid reader at that point. We had started early with words. I had started a notebook for her, in which I started with 2-letter words and gradually expanded to 3- 4- and longer words. Next to a word, I would draw its picture with crayon. A box wasn't just a word, it was a thing you could see, drawn right next to the word. And it had a sound when you said it that meant "box" and nothing else. And the two of us always knew that words and reading were important things, and libraries were great places where you could read for free and find out about the whole world.
This is a great post!
I agree that we should be encouraging our children to spend their time doing positive activities and getting away from the sedentary lifestyle that is rampant in society right now.
The library is a great resource, especially since they usually have a collection of the older classics (like the Golden Books collection) which are always enjoyable. Plus it saves you money, and there is an opportunity to share stories with other area kids via the children's section book club (or other activities).
While overall I'd say the content of what you read doesn't matter, I do have to make a couple suggestions because its never too early to teach them solid principles that they can develop and use later in life. Things such as managing a checkbook or investing (like reading the McDonalds or Disney or Build A Bear or whatever annual reports). It's sad to go to University campuses now and see all the college aged folk who can hardly read, write or do basic math - things that should have been learned and mastered long before they reached that level. And it starts with the parents.