How to Get Kids Reading Books

While there are countless different ways to get kids reading books, there are three vital constants that you need to provide your child to ensure they become the most effective reader – access to good books, an effective reading program, and making reading as enjoyable as possible.

Access to Good Books

Kids should have access to books even before they learn how to read, as an early familiarity with books is a big part of developing pre-literacy skills. In order to encourage kids reading books, in the classroom or at home, here are a few easy things you can do:

• Always keep a selection of books in your home or classroom.

• Visit the library and go to bookstores.

• Give books as gifts.

• Be available to help kids with reading.

• Look for opportunities to read books that complement what they are learning at school.

Effective Reading Program

Current educational research has found that the most effective reading programs instruct kids in five core literacy areas: phonemic awareness, phonics, fluency, vocabulary, and text comprehension.

Kids learn best while having fun, so the most effective reading programs will combine systematic instruction in these five key areas with enjoyable lessons, activities and games that make learning to read enjoyable.

Make Reading Fun

One of the most important literacy lessons that a child can learn from a parent is that reading is a fun and enjoyable thing to do. It doesn’t and shouldn’t have to be something your child sees as work or a chore.

Ensuring that reading is enjoyable for your child also means giving them activities that match their level of ability. For beginner readers, becoming familiar with the alphabet is the first step on their reading journey. Singing songs or rhymes about the alphabet or certain letters are very effective learning tools as they often feature repetitive lines that will stick in a child’s mind. Also, talking about the letters in your child’s name or pointing letters out in everyday things like signs, labels etc will help them see that letters appear in many different settings other than books.

And of course, take every opportunity to read. One of the best ways to get kids reading books is to read them every day. When you read together, make it as comfortable and enjoyable as possible. If your child is restless, take them somewhere they are more comfortable, like the park or playground. Try reading to your child at different times each day, not always restricting reading time to just before bedtime.

Reading Eggs includes a comprehensive range of reading lessons, activities and games, all of which incorporate the five essential literacy elements. All involvement and completion of activities and lessons is rewarded, which makes for a reading program that is both educationally rigorous and highly motivating for young learners.

The goal of every Reading Eggs lesson is kids reading books. Every lesson from lesson 9 on ends with the child reading an e-book that directly relates to the content of the lesson. In this way, all literacy skills that kids learn from the lessons are reinforced and put into practice, which further reminds both kids and parents alike that the purpose of every Reading Eggs lesson is kids reading books.

Testimonials

Reading Eggs has simply taken off in our school! It allows students to work at their own level and provides students at the lower end of the scale with the opportunity to gain success. The kids love the games, stories and different challenges!

- Claire Badrock, Meekatharra School of the Air

My 7-year-old son has learning challenges in the area of reading and resists reading. He took to Reading Eggs immediately and has never complained about doing the program. He loves the variety of activities and especially earning the characters. He is making good progress with his skills. Today we sat down to read a new book and I was having him read all the words that didn’t overwhelm him in length. He protested that this was a Level 2 reader and was very pleased when I told him that he is now reading at that level. I am very pleased with this program and it is very affordable.

- Becky M.