Today is Valentine's Day and we celebrate it on Storywraps by giving tips to inspire your kids to have a lifelong love affair with reading. Come join me as I share creative ways to make that happen.
Not every kid is a bookworm and that's OK. But, there are ways to encourage your child to pick up a book more often. Here's how to help kids learn to love books.
Unwrapping some creative ideas that are fun and will inspire kids to pick up a book and read it!
(thanks to author Alice Kuipers for sharing her best tips)
1. Make a game of it: Send kids on a treasure hunt, the treasure being a book. Leave clues that lead them around the house to discover it in an unexpected place. If you’re really into it, the clues can be related to the story (Clue: Knuffle Bunny was lost in one of these…. Answer: Washing Machine). The magic of discovering a book at the end of the hunt will show your kids how valuable they can be.
2. Keep an eye on authors: If your kid loves a particular author, follow her online to enrich the experience—lots of authors and publishers have terrific sites with games, giveaways, activities and answers to questions about the books. Reading events at local bookstores with a superb author can make even the most reluctant reader take notice. Or encourage your child to write a fan letter to an author they’ve enjoyed. You never know, they may write back!
3. Bring a book: Next time you’re riding the bus or subway together or sitting in the doctor’s waiting room, pull out a book to read with your kid. It’s a more interactive and sociable way to pass the time than letting her play on an iPad while you check your phone.
4. Look beyond books: Graphic novels and comic books are very appealing to kids. Take them to the comic book store, or, even better, hit up a comic convention if you can. Along with the fantastic stories they’ll discover costumes, figures and artwork. It really opens up the world of reading for them!
5. Let them cultivate their taste: Accept that your kids have different reading tastes. Captain Underpants might not be your cup of tea, but your six-year-old will probably think otherwise.
6. Don’t force little readers: Some kids would much rather eat books than sit still to read them. When you read to toddlers let
them race about and climb stuff, with the occasional pause in our laps to turn a page. Sure, reading’s good for kids, but they need to come to it in their own way.
7. Turn the page: Research shows that the best way to get kids to read is for them to see you reading. Yes, that means you are totally allowed to lie on the couch with a book instead of getting down on the floor to build yet another tower.
8. Visit Storybird.com: Right now. It’s the most gorgeous website and on it your child can write her own story by selecting the pictures. You can even print the book later (it’s pricey but worth it). Kids love reading books they’ve written themselves more than anything.
9. Get involved: Look out for reading related events in your city. Build your kid’s excitement by having an author sign a book just for them.
10. Offer books like candy: Have them around the house. Keep one in your bag. If your child is whiny or dragging on your leg, pull out a book. It won’t always be what they want, but any distraction helps.
11. Shop together: Browse those bookshelves in stores where books are offered. It is special time for us, and encourages kids to settle down to read.
12. Browse the blogs: The internet and books are not natural enemies. There are hundreds of terrific blogs by savvy book-reading teens that are full of reviews, author interviews, book tours and more. Once you’ve explored some of these sites together and if your teen is game, encourage her to join get involved writing reviews on Goodreads, or even start her own reading blog. If your kid gets good readership with her reviews, she may be able to request advance reading copies from publishers looking to promote their authors.
13. Give books as gifts: Books are keepsakes that never age like toys and fads do. Wrap up a book or present a gift certificate to a local book shop so the birthday kid can pick his own.
14. Loiter at the library: It’s rather obvious—libraries are filled with books—but they’re also a place to engage in other activities with your kids that gently nudge them toward reading. Local libraries are always hosting fun events—puppet shows, readings, cool craft sessions—and you inevitably end up reading in a corner together long after the activities have ended.
15. Ease off: If you keep insisting that your kids read (or do most anything for that matter) they’ll resist. If you relax, stay patient and leave it up to them—make plenty of books available but don’t say a word—they’ll likely start picking them up.
Have a wonderful, happy Valentine's Day everyone! Share the 💜💜love....💜💜 of books to your kids and may they become engaged lifelong readers!
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