Get Your Kids Hooked on Reading!
Author: Shannon Miller
Do you want your kids to take their eyes off of the television and put their nose in some reading material?
As you are probably aware, just because you think this is a good idea doesn’t mean your kids do! Fear not! SML talked with an experienced elementary school teacher this week to gain some valuable insight on tips for getting kids hooked on books.
Check out these tips that are teacher tested and student approved!
1) Subscribe to kid friendly magazines (Zoobooks, National Geographic Kids, Sports Illustrated Kids, etc.)
2) Kids love graphic novels, which are a fairly new genre.
3) Get them some non-fiction books. Kids seem to LOVE non-fiction.
4) Try reading with them. Even if you are the one doing the reading, it’s a great way to get them hooked while modeling what fluent readers sound like.
5) Set a timer and require them to read until it goes off – practice makes perfect!
6) Take them to a book store or local library and help them pick out books on topics that interest them, while also paying attention to the level of the book. If it’s too hard, they will get frustrated.
7) Pick up two copies of the same book. You can read one while your child reads the other and then you can have discussions about the book!
8) Kids love to talk …host a book group with a few of your child’s friends. They can all read the same book or part of the book and develop questions for discussion. And then, of course, discuss the book!
9) Ask your kids about what they are reading. When you show genuine interest, they naturally become more involved.
10) Books on tape, CD, or on-line are great! Kids love to follow along while listening to the book being read to them. Trendy gadgets like the Nook, Kindle, or I-Pad are also good options.