How to Make Reading FUN for Kids
- Lori-Ann Preston
- Jan 21
- 2 min read
Do you have a child who would rather eat green eggs and ham than read a book?
No worries - I’ve got you covered! Getting kids to guzzle up words may be easier than you think. The trick isn’t too tricky at all. The simplest way to make reading FUN for kids is by keeping a variety of easily accessible books strategically placed in and about your home.
HERE ARE SOME IDEAS:
ON-THE-GO GOODIES
Stash a book in your car cubbyhole or create a backseat book nook. Let your child read just one or two pages a day. Keep it light and fun!
Suggestion: Books with poems or songs
Top Pick: All That I Am – Edited by Refiloe Moahloli, Illustrated by Katlego Keokgale
REMOTE ROADBLOCK
Pop a book under the TV remote. Wanna watch another episode? Sure, no problem - just read three pages. The key is to avoid a big ask and allow a love for reading to grow.
Suggestion: A short early chapter book
Top Pick: The Diary of a Wimpy Kid series by Jeff Kinney
LOO LIT
Next to your child’s toilet, set up a side table, plastic container or shelf filled with books that have short, snappy content that can be enjoyed over and over again.
Suggestion: Joke books, kids' magazines, and non-fiction filled with interesting facts
Top Pick: The 101 Jokes book series by Jaco Jacobs
MEALTIME MAGIC
Why not read together as a family while preparing meals or eating? Stick to a maximum of five pages to build anticipation for what happens next and avoid the pressure of completing a whole book.
Suggestion: Chapter books filled with humour
Top Pick: The Blunders by David Walliams, Illustrated by Adam Stower
BEDTIME BONUS
Place a bookshelf in your child’s bedroom. Don’t restrict the shelf to only holding books - let this be an exciting visual display containing all sorts of bits and bobs, such as favourite figurines, a Rubik's cube, framed photographs, and a cactus or two.
Suggestion: A wide variety of books
Top Picks: SLOOTHS, Trixie, or any other Lori-Ann Preston book would be a sure win (hee, hee).
EXTRA TIPS:
Let your child choose the books they want to read. Don’t try to foist a beloved book from your past onto them – in all probability, they ain’t gonna dig it (sorry).
Consider purchasing one or two books each month. Kids LOVE collecting things - stickers, snazzy pens, squishy toys, bobbleheads - why not books? You’ll be amazed at how fast their library grows, and how often they revisit their favourites.
Hold on to some of the books that your kids outgrow. The stories often hold special memories that your child will treasure for years.
Wishing you many happy reading moments as you turn your living space into a reading wonderland!
Comments