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Top tips for getting kids to read for fun!

With today’s news that the numbers of kids reading for pleasure is down we’ve come up with some top tips to help parents encourage their children to read for fun!

Sadly, new research revealed that only three in ten children read each day and that electronic entertainment like TV and computer games are now seen as more important than books, with three-quarters of kids thinking reading is now uncool.

To try and help parents get their children interested in reading at any age – whether its books, magazines or comics, here’s our top tips:

Read about their interests – If your child isn’t that keen on reading books outside of school, try to pique their interest by choosing books, magazines or comics which are about their favourite subjects. That’s half the battle!

It’s not just about books – Although books are the obvious choice, like adults some children just won’t enjoy reading fiction. If your child is reluctant to read stories, try different forms. So if they’re into football, read match reports with them, superhero fans can read comics and music fans can read autobiographies – even if it’s cereal packets or a TV guide, anything you can do to encourage reading will help.

Have a plentiful supply – it might seem obvious, but the easier it is for kids to read, the more likely they are to do it. So instead of always packing a game or a computer game on a trip, make sure you take a book, magazine or comic for them to read not only in the car but whenever you get the cry of ‘mum I’m bored!’

Stop worrying about their level – Instead of always pushing kids to read more difficult books or correcting them as they read, make sure the focus is on reading itself. Just like us, sometimes they will want a story to escape and the main focus isn’t what sort of book they’re reading, but that they are choosing to read at all!

Make it social – Reading together can be a fantastic way to bond and can give kids more of an incentive to finish a book. Get them to read to you and share in their enjoyment, or if they’re older and want to read on their own, read the same book as them. That way you can talk about your favourite parts and even let them recommend another book to you. Also, try buying the same book for your child’s best friend to read, as the research shows modern kids can find reading lonely.

Create a special reading time or area – Try and make your reading time together a big deal. Although reading should be about pleasure, by scheduling specific times to read at first you can create excitement – whether this is at bedtime or as a Sunday morning treat. Also try and create a space for kids to read, this can be as simple as a bookworm den with a bean bag and some cushions to make the whole experience more fun for younger children.

Lead by example – When is the last time you picked up a book? Showing your kids how fun reading can be by spending your own free time reading is the best way to lead by example.

Do you have any tips for encouraging your child to read?