7 Strategies to Motivate Your Child to Read

Rumour has it, some children are born with a book in their hands. They pester their parents every waking minute to listen to them read. Sadly, my children did not fall into this category.

My daughter has always loved listening to stories. Setting time aside each night, I read to her a variety of picture books although Peppa Pig books were favoured more than I would have liked. My son also enjoyed looking at picture books and listening to stories. However, the transition from listening to reading was more difficult than I could have ever predicted.

Here are 7 simple tips to encourage your child to read:

1. Selecting the first books to read

A common question at My Children’s Books is: “Which series of books should I use to teach my children to read”? There are thousands of options and it is difficult to know where to begin. Many parents swear by Peter and Jane; others the Usborne Reading Programme. The simple answer is to keep trying until you find books that will keep their interest.

My son started with Peter and Jane, which surprised me as my daughter had complained incessantly about them. The Ladybird Read It Yourself series was the first to gain any traction with her. However, once they both gained confidence, the choice of books became less important.

2. Don’t spend a fortune

When it comes to reading, variety is the spice of life, and books can be expensive. We all want what’s best for our kids and it is tempting to spend of fortune.

Don’t splash out a king’s ransom on full boxed set unless you are absolutely certain all of these books will be read. I almost purchased a 32-book Key Words Peter and Jane Box Set for my eldest daughter. I opted to try two books first and I am pleased I did as they were repurposed as colouring book once I wasn’t looking.

There are free libraries in many countries, so why pay when you can borrow? In the West, Amazon has books that are practically free although you have to pay the postage. In Malaysia, My Children’s Books has over 10,000 reasonably-priced books with free postage options so there are books for every taste. Trying browsing our range of baby and toddler books for ideas.

Exchanging books with your children’s classmates also brings down the cost of reading a book significantly.

3. Set realistic goals

Even keen children rarely have a concentration span greater than a few minutes. It can be quite frustrating for parents, particularly if they have spent the last hour coaxing this child away from Blippi on YouTube.

When children become restless, try agreeing on finishing the page. After a while, you can tell them: “I want to know what happens, shall we continue until the end of the next page?”. Over time, these milestones can be increased until your child finishes a short book. After this, you can keep on increasing the length of the book depending on your child’s tolerance. Take it steady though as kids may quickly see through this strategy if you ramp up too quickly.

4. Select the best reading corner

Kids are great at finding excitement in every nook and cranny. If you choose a cluttered environment to read, even the most boring inanimate objects will distract them. Bolsters and pillows make great weapons, duvets are great hiding places and options for missiles are endless.
Choose a place that is comfortable and free from any distractions. Find a place that is best for you but keep remotes and any other ‘items of interest’ out of reach.

5. Praise effort as well as results

All children are not naturals at everything. Of course, it is great to praise children when they improving in front of your eyes. Just remember to praise children who have really tried even if the results are less noticeable.

6. Reading ISN’T school work

Reading is an important life skill and used for both business and pleasure. Kids often feel that reading is just another chore that grown-ups insist that they do. Show them all the amazing things that they would miss if they couldn’t read. Imagine being unable to read the timetable to go on holiday, use the TV remote, write invites to a birthday party or read the labels on their favourite food.

7. Keep at it and don’t give up

The best progress my children made was during a national lockdown due to the COVID-19 pandemic. I wasn’t allowed to go to the office so I set aside time each day to listen to them read. The difference was profound and I promised myself that I would listen to them read every day. Although this vision didn’t quite materialise, they are reading more and going from strength to strength.