The Echo

Methods for Encouraging Your Child to Read
Parents can help their children get excited about reading

Young readers reluctant to enjoy a good book can be changed into enthusiastic readers, according to the group Reading Is Fundamental. Some simple activities can generate excitement about reading.

Take your children to the library regularly. Explore the children's section together. Ask a librarian to suggest books and magazines your children might enjoy.

Present reading as an activity with a purpose; a way to gather useful information for, say, making paper airplanes, identifying a doll or stamp in your child's collection, or planning a family trip.

Encourage older children to read to their younger brothers and sisters. Older children enjoy showing off their skills to an admiring audience.

Set aside a regular time for reading in your family, independent of schoolwork: the 20 minutes before lights out, just after dinner, or whatever fits into your household schedule. As little as 10 minutes of free reading a day can help improve your child's skills and habits.

Read aloud to your child, especially a child who is discouraged by his or her own poor reading skills. The pleasure of listening to you read, rather than struggling alone, may restore your child's initial enthusiasm for books and reading.

Introduce the bookmark. Remind your youngster that you don't have to finish a book in one sitting; you can stop after a few pages, or a chapter, and pick up where you left off at another time. Don't try to persuade your child to finish a book he or she doesn't like. Recommend putting the book aside and trying another.

Treat your children to an evening of laughter and entertainment featuring books! Many children (parents, too) regard reading as a serious activity. A joke book, a story told in riddles, or a funny passage read aloud can reveal another side of reading.

Extend your child's positive reading experiences. For example, if your youngster enjoyed a book about dinosaurs, follow up with a visit to a natural history museum.

Excerpted with permission from RIF's Parent Guide Brochure. For more information and reading tips, go to www.rif.org.