How To Teach Your Kids To Love Reading at Home and At School

Fostering a love for reading in children is an invaluable gift that parents and educators can provide. In today’s digital age, where screen time often dominates, teaching kids to love reading both at home and in school has become increasingly important. It’s not just about learning to read, but about nurturing a lifelong passion for books and the adventures they hold. From creating engaging reading nooks at home to integrating fun reading activities in the classroom, there are numerous strategies to ignite a child’s interest in reading. This guide offers practical tips and creative ideas to help you encourage your children or students to embrace reading, explore different genres, and develop strong reading skills that will benefit them throughout their lives. Whether you’re looking for ways to make reading a part of your family routine or seeking innovative approaches to promote reading in educational settings, you’ll find valuable insights and resources here.

Growing up, I was always considered a bookworm. I spent most of my preteen years with my nose buried deep in a book and loved every minute of it. Books opened new worlds, improved my vocabulary and spelling, taught me about faraway places, and sparked a desire to dream big and see the world.  Since my kids were babies, I have tried to instill in them a love for books and reading in both English and Spanish. They are now in their teens and they both love reading, so I’m sharing some tips on how to teach your kids to love reading and foster a lifelong love for books. 

Hispanic children reading together at home.
My kids love reading together and reading to each other.

 

Tips To Get Your Kids To Develop a Love of Reading

Teaching by Example: A Key to Instilling a Love for Reading.

One of the most effective ways to instill a love of reading in your children is by setting an example. From their earliest days, my children have seen me and my partner immersed in a world of words – be it through books, magazines, or even online articles. This constant exposure has shown them that reading is not just an educational activity, but a part of daily life that can be enjoyable and enriching. By incorporating reading into our routine – whether it’s going through a novel, flipping through a magazine over breakfast, or discussing an interesting article at dinner – we demonstrate that reading is a valuable and pleasurable habit. This continuous visual example helps to naturally cultivate their interest in reading, encouraging them to explore and embrace it in their own lives.

Go beyond books.

There are many ways in which children can practice reading from helping you to read a recipe while cooking together in the kitchen to reading the instructions for the family board game or reading signs during a road trip.  At home, I ask the kids to help me out by reading the grocery list and leaving them a list of chores that they have to check off as they do them.  There are many ways in which you can sneak in some reading practice and make them feel helpful and accomplished simultaneously.

Online reading games are a fantastic way to engage children in the joy of reading. These interactive games make learning to read fun and exciting, as they often combine colorful animations, engaging stories, and interactive challenges that cater to various skill levels. They help children improve their reading skills, expand their vocabulary, and understand grammar in a playful environment. Most importantly, these games can be accessed from any device, making learning convenient and accessible for kids at home or school.

Incorporate Audiobooks. Introduce your kids to audiobooks. They’re great for listening during car rides or while relaxing at home. Audiobooks can bring stories to life in a different way and are particularly helpful for kids who may struggle with traditional reading.

Provide them with choices.  

At home, we always have lots of choices, from fun fantasy stories to personalized books where the kids are the heroes of the story and books that give information about subjects they enjoy, like animals or trains.  We also visit the library regularly and let our kids choose new books they are interested in.  We also have children’s magazine subscriptions, and they love them.

Hispanic family reading together
Reading together is a family tradition.

Read with them.

Since they were babies, we always read to our kids before bed. We read one book in Spanish and one in English, and now that they are older and can read themselves, we have them read a book to us out loud too.  Reading is part of our routine, and they will not go to bed without reading before bedtime. When we are traveling we

Have a space where they can read comfortably.  

Fostering a love for reading in children is an invaluable gift that parents and educators can provide. In today’s digital age, where screen time often dominates, teaching kids to love reading both at home and in school has become increasingly important. It’s not just about learning to read, but about nurturing a lifelong passion for books and the adventures they hold. From creating engaging reading nooks at home to integrating fun reading activities in the classroom, there are numerous strategies to ignite a child’s interest in reading. This guide offers practical tips and creative ideas to help you encourage your children or students to embrace reading, explore different genres, and develop strong reading skills that will benefit them throughout their lives. Whether you’re looking for ways to make reading a part of your family routine or seeking innovative approaches to promote reading in educational settings, you’ll find valuable insights and resources here.

Hispanic boy reading
There are lots of places in our home that are ideal for reading.

Incorporating Reading into Your Child’s Daily Routine.

To help your child love reading, make it a regular part of their day. Choose a time, like right before bed or after dinner, for reading together or alone. This makes reading a normal thing they do, just like brushing their teeth. Create a cozy spot for reading with a comfy chair and good light. If your child is young, read to them during this time. As they get older, they can read by themselves or to you. It doesn’t have to be long – even 15 minutes each day is great. Making reading a regular, fun part of their day is important. 

We made reading a part of our kid’s bedtime routine since they were babies and now that they are teens they still read before bed as a way to wind down. 

Make reading fun!  

Look for books on subjects that your kids love and try different formats. My daughter loves books with lots of colorful pictures, while my little guy likes the comic book format.  Find different places to read, we sometimes read at the park and the kids love it, it’s a great way to rest and get them to drink something while we share a story outdoors.

Hispanic children reading outdoors
My kids reading at the park.

Connect Books with Experiences. 

If a book is about a specific place, animal, or activity, try to pair the reading experience with a real-life counterpart. For example, if they read a book about sea creatures, plan a visit to the aquarium. This helps to make the content of the book more tangible and engaging.

Celebrate Book-Related Holidays. 

Participate in events like World Book Day or National Read a Book Day. Make these days special with themed activities or by gifting a new book. It’s a great way to mark the importance of reading in a festive way.

Introduce Series and Sequels. 

If your child enjoys a particular book, look for a series or sequels to keep the momentum going. Series are great for maintaining interest over a longer period of time.

Work together.  

Regarding school, I believe it is very important to work with my children’s teachers to keep that love for reading alive at home and school.  That is why I donate books to my kid’s classroom every year and Spanish books to the school library. I let the teachers know what subjects my kids enjoy and what books they like and make sure they choose books in Spanish to read at school too.

It’s Never Too Late to Foster a Love for Reading.

No matter if your children are tiny toddlers or independent teenagers, it’s never too late to start encouraging a love for reading. With younger kids, animated storytelling and colorful picture books can spark their imagination. For teens, finding genres or topics that align with their interests can be key. If they’re into technology, sci-fi novels might be appealing; if they love mysteries, there are countless thriller books to explore. Remember, reading isn’t just about books – it could be comics, magazines, or even online articles about their favorite subjects. The goal is to show them that reading can be both enjoyable and a window into worlds and ideas they find intriguing.

For tips to encourage older kids to develop a love of reading, you can also check my article on how to promote the love of reading For middle schoolers at home.

 

 

 

 

Paula Bendfeldt-Diaz

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