How to motivate your child to read

Most parents recognize the importance of reading books. But we all face the challenge of how to motivate our kids to read on their own.

Both my kids are able to read long English chapter books by their 5th birthday, and they enjoy reading books. I believe that all kids can develop a love for reading, if parents use effective methods.

1. The very first step is to make sure that your kids can read very fluently. All kids like to do things that are very easy to them. If a child struggles when he reads, because there are many words that he does not know how to read, then he will hate reading.

I taught my kids phonics and sight words using the Peter and Jane series at the same. The results are amazing. Read these pages :

How to teach phonics

Key Words with Ladybird

I started teaching them at about 3 years old, both of them finish reading Peter and Jane books 11 and 12 before 5 years old. At that time they were able to read a page of about 200 words in 3 to 5 mins.

2. Even after your child has completed Peter and Jane book 11 or 12, you should continue to spend time reading together with your child every day.

The Children's Reading Foundation in USA advises all parents to spend 20 minutes everyday :

"Just 20 minutes a day reading aloud with young children strengthens relationships, encourages listening and language skills, promotes attention and curiosity, and establishes a strong reading foundation. These skills are essential for success in school and in life."

(Source)

Also read this page about the benefits of reading with your kids :

The Power of Reading Aloud

In my case, since both my kids can read very well, I ask them to read out loud to me everyday. Both of them have finished reading many English chapter books (each of a few hundred pages), and they read every word out loud to me. In this way, I can make sure that they are reading every word correctly, since there are many words in English that are not phonetic. I can also make sure that they really understand what they are reading, by discussing or acting out the story with them. My 6 year old boy's attention span has also improved a lot by reading out loud to me everyday.

Nowadays, after they have read the first chapter, they are eager to find out what happens next, so they will finish reading the entire book on their own. My P1 girl will pick up thick novels like the BFG by Roald Dahl, and finish reading over 1 or 2 days, reading silently on her own. My 6 year old boy likes to read children's encyclopedia on his own.

3. It is important to find books that kids are interested in. For example, my younger boy likes non-fiction books, while my girl likes fantasy and humorous story books.

You may have heard other people suggesting that you just bring your kids to the library. The fact is that there are hundreds of books in the library, and many books are very boring. It is not easy to find a really good book that can truly captivate a child. Parents should can do research to find the best books. One good resource is www.amazon.com. A book that has many 5 star reviews is definitely worth reading. I have found many wonderful books at amazon.com, then I either borrow from the library, or buy them from amazon.

4. If a child is not willing to read on his own, my advise is to give him books that are below his reading level. For example, if a child is reading Peter and Jane level 6, then give him books that are equivalent to level 3 or 4. Kids will find these books very easy to read and are more motivated to read them.

5. Also, note that a 5 year old child may be able to finish reading Peter and Jane book 11, but his level of understanding is still that of a 5 year old. He may not be able to understand books that have complex plots. So he should still read books suitable for 5 year old kids. Give him books with lots of text, and lots of beautiful pictures, these will help him understand that story. All the books in this page can be understood by kids age 4 to 6 years old :

Picture books from my home library

If you find that your child is able to understand books that have more complicated plots, then you can give her books meant for older kids :

The importance of reading books

6. Parents should show interest in reading books too ! I actually have not read many of the children's classics that my kids are reading. So whenever I received a book (from amazon) or borrowed a book from the library, I will read the book first. My hubby reads the children's books too. Then we often discuss about interesting parts of the book in front of the kids. This is an excellent way to get them interested in the book.

If parents only turn on the TV or sit in front of the computer, then kids will also prefer to do the same, instead of reading books.

7. I limit TV to 1 hour a day. My kids do not have any handheld electronic games. They can use the computer only for a short time during the weekends. A child who spends hours playing PSP will have no interest in reading books. Even when you take away the PSP, he will still be thinking about it.
My kids have lots of toys like Lego, ZOOB, Geotrax, etc, these are good toys that can help develop their creativity and fine motor skills, and they don't get addicted to these toys. So when they are bored with the toys, they will read books.

8. Surround kids with books at home ! I have over 500 children's books at home. My kids like to read the same books over and over again, so it is really a good investment.

9. Reward your child for reading ! When my kids were younger, I gave some small rewards everyday, like watching their favourite DVD (we only have Leapfrog and Little Einstein DVDs which are very educational) for 30 mins after they have read, or a small piece of sweet, or a trip downstairs to the playground. They each get a bigger reward when they complete a book of a few hundred pages, like stickers, or an outing (which I have already planned to go, but on condition that they must finish reading) .

After many months, reading has become a routine to them, so they don't need any daily rewards anymore. But I still give them a small reward when they finish reading a long English novel, because they have made me very happy.