Friday, July 8, 2011

Getting Your Child to LIKE Reading!

Yesterday morning as I was walking with some friends, we were talking about ways to making reading more exciting to our kids.  I recently did a post about how to keep your kids reading during the summer, but my oldest son is one of those kids who HATES reading.  I know how important reading is so I am one of those mean moms who MAKES him read.  I have him read picture books to my younger 2 kids to help my son with his fluency, but I also make him read chapter books in his head so he is working on books more on his level.  I know...super mean mom!  Here are a few ideas my friends and I talked about that might help your struggling reader or child who hates to read too!
#1 - Find a {chapter} book to read from each night.  By doing this, your child isn't actually reading, but they are listening to oral fluency and expression, which will help them to become better readers.  The other thing with this idea is that sometimes chapter books can be intimidating to a child, so having the book read to them makes it more exciting and a little less daunting.

#2 - Get books on tape/CD.  The public library is a great place to start!  There is usually a great selection to choose from and maybe your library would even be willing to order some in if you had a request.  Book orders (during the school year) are also a good way to build your collection.  Again, by listening this will help your child with fluency and expression.  I came across this site (STORYNORY), where you can listen to stories on your computer or download them to your I-Pod.  Check it out to see if a story you are looking for is there.

# 3 - Turn on the subtitles when watching TV or a movie.  My friend suggested this...something I never would have thought of.  Your child will be reading without even thinking about it!

# 4 - Have your child find a series or author that interests THEM!

# 5 - Create a special reading area in your house or outside for your child to enjoy their time with the book.  Build a fort, read in a treehouse, etc.

Any other ideas or suggestions? 
I would love to hear what works for you!!

8 comments:

Katie King said...

I'm a first grade teacher so this topic is near and dear to my heart... I hope I am starting out right with my 2 and 3 year olds... We take bi-weekly library trips together and make it a fun event by pairing it with an ice cream cone (actually this is how I coax them out of the library :) ). I also have 20 minutes or so where my son and daughter "read" to themselves and mommy reads too. I also LOVE rewarding my kids with books for potty training/following directions etc. I think that it is so important to see reading as the treat itself! LOVE this topic and your blog!

Katie
Queen of the First Grade Jungle

Katie Z said...

I teach kindergarten and my son is going to kindergarten next year so this is on my mind too! Great ideas! I made a "menu" on the computer (table sized 4x3) and in each square placed a picture of some type of reading activity to do. Examples would be read on the swing set, write a book, read poetry, read on the computer,read on the ipad, read to his brother, etc. When he gets all the squares colored in, we go to Barnes and Noble to pick out a new book. It has been a great motivator so far!:)

Kristen @ Busy Kids = Happy Mom said...

These are super ideas! I'd include requesting bunches of books from the library that appeal to your kids. I've started googling "books for boys age 7" and actually using the book lists provided by libraries. I never did when they were little - but now I've found just having stacks of all sorts of books (fiction, non-fiction, informational, comics, etc) makes a world of difference.

Hardy Boys books on CD are awesome for boys too!

Allison @ Room Mom 101 said...

Katie - I love the idea of 20 mins. of your kids reading and YOU reading. I think it's so important to practice what we preach and for our kids to see us reading too!
Mrs. Z - What a clever idea!! I LOVE it. I am sure your kids love trying out new ideas each day and exploring a different approach to reading. Way to make it all seem so fun!!
Kristen - I agree with searching out suggested reading lists for your kids based on their interests and levels. My friend told me that her son never really loved to reading until she introduced him to nonfiction. I say, find a genre that works for your child and go with it!
Thanks guys for sharing your ideas! They are all super!
Allison

Kara @ Mine for the Making said...

journaling or creating something when the book is finished... make puppets out of things you can find around your house or art supplies that resemble the characters in the story... read with a flashlight... make a sheet fort and read in their...read outside (unfortunately I cant do this in the summer in AZ), read a book that has a movie made after it and watch the movie when you finish the book, create another chapter...

Can you tell I am a teacher? LOL!

Kara @ Mine for the Making said...

*read in there not their OOPS! :)

Her Royal Highness said...

Thank you for this post. My kindergartner going into 1st grade hates reading and struggles with it. My husband reads to her each night and she loves it. But when it comes to her reading to us, she balks and cries. I'm thinking that switching up locations and turning it into a game just might help her.

carolie said...

My son is a fabulous reader, but very reluctant. So frustrating! The latest thing that works with him is reading with him in a different location for each chapter. We read in the car (sitting in the garage), in a closet, under the dining room table... He loves thinking up new spaces!