Getting Children Interested In Reading

[jessbailey1984]

Getting children to read can be difficult. In our house the TV is on very little, but every night either my husband or I will pick up a book and start reading out loud. We have a house of mostly boys so often our reading is about dragonsor ninjas, but our children all love to read. Kids will follow example if they are shown.

[Sauroke]

Very good information, I would also include sharing the joy of reading with them. My girl's son had a hard time learning to read due to a terrible teacher at that swing age, which turned him off to it for the first year.
My Wonder Woman girlfriend and I stepped up to the plate and helped him tremendously. Now, it's all about the different animals, stories of super heroes, and loving to read! Good parental guidance goes a long way!
By the way, this weekend is technology free, so I think a book or two may be read!

[WD1993]

I completely agree. I'm studying to become a English teacher and here in Holland where I live I am noticing that less children read. Were as I love to dive in a book and not use the computer or my mobile phone for a while I notice that the quality of reading and wanting to read is severely downgrading by most teens. I do think that it is of must upper importance that we try to stimulate it again. Not make it obligatory because that could cause a feeling of pressure to it, but I do think it is something we need to pay more attention to.

[rida]

My uncle has twin daughter. What he did was not to give them too many video games or let them too much tV. He used to read to them when they were babies. and when they grew up they began reading to him. He gave them toys in shape of books and both of them are pretty interested in reading as they don't consider it boring or a duty like other kids of their age.

[Naijasia]

I am only 18 but can share my experience with how my parents succeeded in getting me back into reading. I stopped when I was about 13 because if you went to my school and you read books at that age you were the social outcast of the year. Over time my parents began to notice and drop subtle hints. Then they started to incorporate reading into my life. They bought me an ipod but only downloaded books and book apps. The thing that actually got me back into it was when I actually opened one of the apps. It's called Wattpad and has developed so much since I started. They have books for all kinds of people written by teens/young adults. Seriously, all kinds that would interest young readers. I love it so much because it is relatable and might actually inspire your children to want to write a story as well. I know it did that for me. Wattpad may actually be the reason I am a Literature major.

[SadieJoan]

I am lucky enough to have an 8 year old who never stops reading, so much so that it can disrupt her sleep and I have been forced to relocate her bookcase to the sitting room She is completely hooked on the Series of Unfortunate Events books at the moment, and anything by Roald Dahl or Enid Blyton. We do not own a television, so perhaps this has had an impact on her love for books also. She has grown up watching me, my parents and grandparents all enjoying books too which I believe must have made a difference in her attitude to reading

[rida]

I am only 18 but can share my experience with how my parents succeeded in getting me back into reading. I stopped when I was about 13 because if you went to my school and you read books at that age you were the social outcast of the year. Over time my parents began to notice and drop subtle hints. Then they started to incorporate reading into my life. They bought me an ipod but only downloaded books and book apps. The thing that actually got me back into it was when I actually opened one of the apps. It's called Wattpad and has developed so much since I started. They have books for all kinds of people written by teens/young adults. Seriously, all kinds that would interest young readers. I love it so much because it is relatable and might actually inspire your children to want to write a story as well. I know it did that for me. Wattpad may actually be the reason I am a Literature major.

Sounds like cool parents. Its such a great idea. I mean children are so eager to learn how to use iphone & i-pads and if they simply have only book apps then they won't have a choice would they?

[carinarivera26]

I I think this article is very helpful, and I agree that TV is the kids worst enemy. My son doesn't watch a lot of TV and he doesn't play a lot of video game and he loves books. He rather read a book or have me read it to him than watch TV.

-- 16 Sep 2014, 21:51 --

I recommend to get to know what your child likes. My 6 year old is active so I read to him action base books and I try to acted out to get him to be more interested.

[michystar12]

I think reading to children is a great way to get children interesting in reading. Also investing books to children may be Junie B Jones. It was favorite when I was a kid

[bakerax]

My daughter is 6 and in first grade - she's starting to get interested in reading and I'm really hoping that this interest will continue. We read school work each night, but also try to pick out a book for pleasure each night as well. I also read books to both my 6 year old and my 3 year old each night.

[Katie_2000]

I agree with a lot of the posts here, especially the original. The main thing you want to do is fine a book that is something the child would like (child likes cars, car book etc.). Someone can read the book for them and that can help them see how it can be fun. Maybe even create a new family tradition. The most important thing you can do for a child (involving reading) is make reading FUN!!!

[lisateb]

What a great topic! It is so very hard to keep kids interested in anything these days. With technology so available, it makes it very difficult to have kids read, even if that technology makes it easier than ever. My first thought is not let kids get too involved in cell phones, computers, ipads, ect .. but I know it's easier said than done. Books were always available to me as a child. I was never told no to any book I tried to read no matter how much it would go over my head. My Mom and Dad also read to me all the time. I think if you get a kid into the habit of picking up a book as young as possible, it will travel with them for the rest of their lives.

[1Greengirl]

My teachers could never get my younger sister to read until a few years ago when they let the child pick the book they wanted to read.

[Purely_Poetic]

Great article. I agree there are so many benefits for children who read and I'm so happy that I read so much when I was a child and had such supportive parents who drove me to the library all the time and helped me preorder my Harry Potter books and buy me books for Christmas, Easter, and birthdays.
If I didn't read as much as I did when I was a child I probably wouldn't be as creative, open minded, or informed as I am today. When my son is finally old enough to read I plan to help kindle a passion for books that will match mine. I read to him now and even though he is two he loves to sit down without me and be surrounded by his little picture books and look at them and try to read them.

[LivreAmour217]

I have a bit of a conundrum in my family: I have a ten-year-old son who is an advanced reader, but he isn't what I call a "natural" reader, meaning that he probably wouldn't read anything at all if he didn't have to. He would much rather play video games or watch television than pick up a book (he doesn't get that from my side of the family). That being said, through school he has been introduced to quite a few books that he absolutely loves and has reread on multiple occasions. The common denominator with all of these books is that he had a say in choosing them, so I believe that giving children a choice in what they read is essential. In one way, reading is just like watching television: it is only enjoyable when the content is interesting. For example, if we only gave children access to CNN, they would get bored with TV pretty quickly and probably prefer reading! When we only give children access to books that they find boring, we push them away from reading.