6 New Ideas for Reluctant Readers
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Do you have a reluctant reader? I did — and I tried everything to get her to like books and engage with stories. Here are some of the odd things I tried that seemed to work.
Reluctant Reader Ideas
1. EAT and READ
Read to your reluctant reader while they are at the table eating. (Sitting still. Undivided attention.)
2. OVER-KILL
Go to the library and let her check out as many books as she wants. Even if it’s 60! Even if it’s 100! Who isn’t going to be excited about that? (Besides your back?)
3. REWARDS
Give books as rewards. Go to a garage sale or a book store and let him pick out reward books you can dole out later.
That being said books as rewards are good. Food or money is counterproductive unless the money is for a bookstore.
4. COMFORT
Read to her when she’s sad or mad. This associates books with comfort.
5. AUDIOBOOKS
If you play an audiobook in the car or living room, someone listening just might get hooked. (Besides you.) Once you get a child loving stories, it helps immensely with reading more books by the author or in the series.
6. STAY UP LATE:
Let your reluctant reader stay up late to read in bed with a flashlight or headlamp. Breaking rules is fun!
I agonized and worried for years that my daughter wouldn’t love books. A wise friend told me to relax, not push too hard and it would come. I’m not sure I totally relaxed but somehow, it did eventually “click” and now my daughter loves to read.
How about you?
What have you done that’s worked?
What are you trying now?
Here are some good books to read…
Short, Nonfiction Books for Reluctant, Struggling, and Wiggly Readers
Easy (Not Babyish) Books for Older Kids
Funny Chapter Books That Kids Love
Great post. These are very good ideas. My son is just beginning his own adventures into reading. Reading to him as an infant, toddler, and preschooler has given him a rich vocabulary. I would also add to take your young ones to the library story times and activities.
yes, the library – great!!
These are all great ideas. I know that when we seem to be getting on each others’ nerves, reading a story together is a great tension reliever. It is a much solution than spending time apart which is what most people would suggest.
🙂 you’re a smart reading mama, Becky!!
I’ve even read to my kids when they are playing in the bathtub! Acting out stories with puppets is a fun way to encourage reading aloud. I read the Elephant and Piggie books with my daughter this way sometimes. She reads one part and I take the other.
love it!
I love these ideas. Thanks for adding the link to share your best post on my blog. This is great information for readers of my blog.
Eat and Read would work for our own books but not library books. I sort of used this idea with reading to them. Lately I’ve been trying to read some good chapter books to my kids ages 6, 6, and 8. This is a hard age to get to slow down and sit on the couch for one or two chapters. They’ll read their own books, but I was struggling with getting enough time to read and finish a book. I started reading sometimes during afternoon and evening snack. One week when our library book was almost due I read during breakfast everyday. My kids loved it.
Great ideas, Melissa! I like the over-kill and the comfort ideas the best.
If my children have many different books to choose from, there’s always one that will spark interest. If not, back to the library or book store for more selections! It’s time well spent.
As for comfort, it’s all about enjoying all kinds of books together, starting at a very young age (preferably during the first year). When parents share a love of reading with children, it truly is the greatest gift, and one that lasts forever.