5 Tips to Get Your kids to Read

Hi strangers, how are you doing? Hanging in? I didn’t mean to go radio silent on you all, but this has obviously been a weird time. I’m not sure what it’s like by you, but we are on week 2 of schooling from home/working from home (for the Mr. too). Michigan is I think 4th or 5th in the country for the most cases of the virus, so our state is on complete lockdown.

We are all adjusting to the new norm of working around each other (as I’m sure some of you are doing as well). With 2 kids’ online schooling, I can’t seem to get a turn with my computer, so I will try to pop in over here when I can. That said, I have been working on a few fun projects. Being trapped in the house with a basement full of random paint has somehow yielded a little kitchen mini-makeover! I will share it next week once I get it all put back together.

I have been on Instagram just sharing fun tidbits throughout the day (like how cardboard boxes are still the best entertainment out there!) trying to maybe be a fun distraction from the news. As I try to keep things light and fun here, I will probably continue to do that and hopefully be a bright spot in your day. Just know that I am praying every day for all of you struggling job-wise, health-wise, and maybe sanity wise with your kids? ;) I’ve had so many messages on Instagram encouraging me to keep on with some normalcy so that’s what I’m going to shoot for….in between hiding in my pantry with my wine glass…

Charlie is very concerned about the state of the basement…

I actually started writing this kid’s book post weeks ago, and I never had the chance to finish it before all heck broke loose. So maybe the reading tips aren’t the most helpful at the moment because we are all just in survival mode. Also taking kids to the library isn’t really an option right now, but you can always file them away for later. I figured now may be a time where your kids are looking for some good books, so I’m adding a list of my kid’s faves at the bottom. They each have a kindle for reading, as well as the Libby app where they can check out books from our library electronically. They also have been loving audible books too, so that’s a great option for being cooped up at home right now too.

I shared this shot of my kiddos reading on the beach over Christmas break and I received SO many messages asking for tips for getting your kids to love reading. Both of my kids are thankfully major book worms. We have finally reached that holy grail of parenting where my kids are both happy to sit on the beach with a snack and a book and actually relax for a bit. Now trust me we still got our fair share of whining and I’m bored coupled with lots of wave jumping and tossing the football on the beach too. I also don’t claim to know that anything I really did was some magic formula for getting kids to read. I think some kids just genuinely enjoy it more than others. However here are my tips for getting your kids to read or the things we did at least.

5 TIPS TO GET YOUR KIDS TO READ

1. The Mr. and I are both huge readers. We constantly each have a stack of books on our nightstand. We definitely read way more than we watch tv. So they see us reading all of the time. We actually have family reading time on Sunday after church where we all hang out in the living room with a snack and read our books for some quiet time.
2. My mom took me to the library once a week when I was little, and her mom did the same with her. So naturally, I started when my daughter was a baby hitting up storytime once a week at the library as well. Having something your kids are genuinely interested in reading is key for my kids. I take them about every other week now and let them pick out whatever interests them. They both always have a stack of books next to their beds.
3. I’m pretty strict with electronic time (post on this coming soon too because I have had some requests for that also) so sometimes they are bored and they have no other option but read. Whenever I hear “I’m bored!” I suggest a book. They definitely grumble sometimes but once they get going in a good book, they rarely want to put it down.
4. We have always read to them as part of their bedtime routine since they were little. Now they both can’t fall asleep without reading to themselves a bit. I always have them in their rooms by 8 on weeknights, but they are allowed to read for as long as they would like every night.
5. Try listening to audiobooks to get them interested. We have always listened to audiobooks with them on long car rides (which is often since we live 30 minutes from everything – school, church, the grocery store, etc). I think that has increased their level of interest in books in general. I have also employed the “oh we listened to the first book of the series on audible, I picked up book two at the library for you!”

I think that’s really it? Not sure any of that contributed or not, but it’s worth a shot if it’s a struggle in your home. Ok now for my kids’ fave book lists.

My son is 8, but he reads at a higher grade level (he shares books with my sixth-grader a lot), so I would say his faves here would be good for 8-12 just depending on their reading level.

Diary of the Whimpy Kids – not a shocker here, but both my kids loved this series.

Harry Potter, of course, will always be the best.

Percy Jackson series by Rick Riordan – he loved this series!

Magnus Chase by Rick Riodan – he seems to be just working through all of Rick Riordan’s books.

The Charlie Bones Series by Jenny Nimmo

Story Thieves Series by James Riley

Wings of Fire Series by Tui T. Sutherland

The Treehouse Series by Andy Griffiths

The entire Roald Dahl collection (I bought him the box set for his 8th birthday last year)

The Hobbit and The Lord of the Ring Series by J.R.R. Tolkien

Ok and here are a few of my 12-year-old daughter’s faves. Most of the above are ones she has loved too, but here are a few recent ones as well.

Scar Island by Dan Gemeinhart

Because of Mr. Terrupt series by Rob Buyea

Keeper of the Lost Cities by Shannon Messenger

The Alchemyst Series by Michael Scott

The Miscalculations of Lightning Girl by Stacy McAnulty

The Book Thief by Markus Zusak

Any books by Gordon Korman

Any books by Carl Hiaasen

I hope your kids discover a love of reading as my kiddos have. Let me know if you have any other good book recommendations for this age group. Stay safe, stay healthy, stay home :)