Children's
In a busy world filled with technology, screens, social media, play on demand TV and games it can be challenging to get your child reading. And sometimes it’s hard to know whether it’s worth the battle.
Many parents and carers notice a big difference in behaviour when kids are off devices and either doing something crafty, reading, playing or getting outside.
As a bookshop, we wholeheartedly declare our bias when it comes to encouraging reading, not just because we sell books, but because books are awesome! But why should we care whether kids read or not?
Why should we care whether kids read?
There are lots of reasons you should encourage children (and grown ups!) to read, here are a few of the most important:
- It helps develop language and comprehension skills.
- Reading just 20 minutes a day helps children develop critical thinking skills.
- It helps with stress reduction and calming
- Improves concentration and focus
- Helps to develop creativity
- Better writing skills
- Reading can help kids to sleep better, reading before bed rather than TV helps slow the brain down and prepare for sleep
- It helps develop empathy and emotional intelligence
- Best of all, it helps build that connection between parent or carer and child!
Alright, now that we have a decent handful of reasons to encourage reading, how do you go about getting your child actually doing it?
Select books on topics they’re interested in
This might seem obvious, but you’d be surprised how many people think reading has to be for learning, when in those early days it’s a great idea to read for enjoyment. This might be graphic novels, picture books, or sweeping, epic and rich fantasy novels.
We get lots of people coming in store concerned that their child is only reading one author or one series – but the reality is that’s fantastic that your child has found something they enjoy and are pursuing that interest.
Non-fiction books are great too. Just because they might not enjoy fiction, doesn’t mean they can’t enjoy reading. There are heaps of great non-fiction books available and the bonus.. They’re learning something while they’re reading!
Read together and make it fun !
Reading together is one of the most powerful ways of encouraging your child to read. Whether it’s co-reading, you reading to them or them reading to you, every minute spent sitting down together counts.
Some things we love to do in our house:
- Having the child finish the sentence or read the last word
- Taking turns reading a line or a page
- Taking turns reading a chapter
- Doing silly voices and acting out
- Listening to an audiobook with the physical book in front of us to follow along
- Siblings reading together (older to younger or vice versa)
- Reading our own books next to each other
- Having a special space or reading chair we sit in together
It’s such a joy when you find something that works for you.
Modelling the behaviour
Parent and carer behaviour is very powerful, our little sponges soak up what they see you doing. If they see you reading, then they’ll be more likely to want to do it too.
When it comes to reading, follow the same rules! Read something you enjoy, it doesn’t have to be literature or non-fiction – you’re allowed to read romance or horror, fantasy or thrillers.
Setting yourself a little reading goal can be fun too – whether it’s one a month or to read every Pulitzer Prize Winner since you were born, a goal really helps!
Have a reading space
It can help to have a dedicated reading space. This could be in their bedroom, a play space, the loungeroom, your bedroom – really wherever best suits your family. It doesn’t have to be library with a rolling ladder (though that would be nice!). Having access to books and a place to read makes it easy for them to go and do it.
We have bookshelves in bedroom and in a communal family space, and a special thing before bedtime is to sit down in our reading chair in front of the fireplace and read stories to wind down for the day. It helps make our bedtimes less chaotic too.
Try and read most days
Even if it’s just ten minutes before bed, creating a habit and family culture of reading makes a difference.
In our household, we aim to read for 20-30 minutes each night before bed. We’ve made it a habit and have done since the kids were babies, just like having a bath and brushing their teeth.
Our eldest now happily reads for 45+ minutes a night unprompted as she’s got a passion for stories and enjoys it.
Talk about what you’ve read or are reading
It’s wonderful to share about what you’ve just read together. You can ask all sorts of questions about:
- What did you think of the cover, illustrations, end papers?
- Did you have a favourite character? What about a least favourite?
- Which character would you like to meet in real life if you could?
- What do you think would happen next after the end of the book? Or what do you think will happen in the next book (for a series).
- If you could change the title of the book, what would you choose?
Try to reduce TV and other screen time
We limit screen time in our house, a rule of thumb I’ve tried (though not always succeeded at) to follow since the kids were little, was for every minute of TV time, they’ve got to do double outside or doing some sort of play/reading.
This means ten minutes of TV or devices = 20 minutes of going and doing something else.
And you know what’s happened? Our eldest now reads for up to 2 hours some days. Without prompting! Why? Because she’s discovered a love of books, she’s worked out what genres she likes, we borrow lots from the library and of course, (it helps that her mum owns a bookshop). We let her choose what she wants to read based on what’s currently interesting to her, and away we go.
Don’t get me wrong, we still have battles around screens and TV in house too – it’s all a juggling act and we’re all doing our best.
Get them reading incidentally
Are you cooking from a recipe book? Get them to read it out to you. Maybe reading the newspaper or a magazine – can they join in too? Eating out at a cafe or restaurant – see if they can read the menu.
Lot’s of little wins add up to big wins, and as their confidence grows so too will their desire and delight to read more challenging things.
Is it too late to start?
It’s never too late to start reading with your child. Whilst studies show the sooner you start the better, as it means kids are exposed to more words and language, it’s never too late to get a book in their hands.
Ultimately, it’s great to do whatever works for you. Whether it’s comic books, magazines, newspapers, graphic novels, picture books or novels – if you can get a book in your kids’ hands then you’re doing great!
And now, the million dollar question we always get asked.. Can you recommend a book for my reluctant reader?
Why yes, we can!
Check out suggested readings lists below, which will take you to our online store here.