20 Ways to Instill a Love of Reading

Reading is often either desired or dreaded. First impressions with books are impactful, so it's essential to introduce them mindfully. You can ignite a love for reading at any age, but this article focuses on children. Here are twenty ways our tribe inspires young readers.

Create Word Enthusiasts Early

We began reading together as soon as my boys could hold their heads up. Life with a newborn keeps you on your toes. So be it mail, magazines, or novels, we got excited about words. Exploring the world of words mattered more than proper reading levels. I used this as an opportunity to catch up on my reading while encouraging the whole family by starting and ending our day centered on God. We read one chapter every morning and evening of my Bible, not the child's version. After each sentence, I explain the meaning to my older son if needed. Children have a particular enjoyment in exploring their curiosities of off-limit adult things such as laptops, kitchen knives, and hot grills. In this case, my precious Bible, which was noticeably different than the child's version, was briefly not off-limits. The key is just to get started.

Forming Connections through Words

I knew conversations were beneficial to the ever-adapting vocabulary and facial expressions of a baby, but reading connected us on another level. We engaged in the first emotional expressions, musical sounds, and silly faces while gathered around books, which formed a daily part of our routine that we eagerly anticipated. One-on-one experiences are underrated. Storytelling will always be classic family bonding.

Reading Utopia

Soon we created a cozy reading nook. It blossomed from soft sensory baby books to vibrant colored children's books—this inviting space to cuddle up and read boosted our desire to read throughout the day. Sometimes we incorporate my mail, email, and text messages to accomplish reading practice and the balancing act of work and home life. The space was even multifunctional for tummy time baby book reads.

Healthy Family Drama

Your kidding, right? Is there such a thing as healthy family drama? In this case, there is. I highly recommend getting theatrical. Turn your reading sessions into lively family productions. Acting out a book or becoming the author helps the stories come alive. If you dare to go a step further, dress up beforehand or build a book scene resourcing available tools such as cardboard, legos, and blankets. Setting the stage goes a long way in inspiring future readers.

Where's the Opera?

Another spin on reading is to sing your way to the end. One of Thaddeus' favorite books quickly became "We're Going on a Bear Hunt" after our first musical rendition of it. The fun stays fresh since the tune of the song changes with each read through. We like to keep things interesting around here.

Black & White

Despite age, I introduce books without visual aids right away. Stories without pictures provide some descriptive details, but the rest is left to the mind's eye, leaving room for the imagination and creative thinking to combine and form a uniquely personal point of view. Listening skills advance, imagination soars, reading skills improve, and there is room for individual interpretation when pictures are absent. Improved reading skills also help aspiring readers feel less intimidated by a multitude of words and larger than average content.

Monkey See, Monkey Do

As I always say, "Model the behavior you want to see in your children." Many parents prefer to read their literature when children are asleep or out of the house. Please make a point to read when your children can witness it. You may experience more interruptions and less focus, but allowing others to see your reading interest makes it more appealing. Even if you continue reading in private the majority of the time, add in some time to be spotted reading.

A Whole New World

Multi-lingual speakers are increasing—familiarity with other languages, at least enough to share the first words, sparks curiosity. Bilingual books create a broader world view of people, culture, and traditions. One of our favorites is a board book called How Do You Say Goodnight by Cindy Jin. We have a section of books dedicated to introducing foreign languages. It can be silly fun for kids to try pronouncing foreign words.

Author & Illustrator

Children are known for creative play. A crafty way to inspire a love of reading is to read your own creation. With simple art supplies, you can whip up a custom made book written and illustrated by none other than yourself. Being the storyteller gives the individual permission to run wild, be silly, and take off any limits. This experience of reading your own work will vary in length, but these moments of fun are hard to forget.

The ABC Process

Ah, the milestone of learning the initiation song of childhood, the alphabet. Such an exhilarating feeling when everyone joins in singing the well-known tune. It feels like a party! When teaching letters, I start with the sounds rather than traditional letter names. This way, your brain, upon seeing the letter, immediately associates the symbol with its corresponding sound. Children perfect the art of sounding out words, which allows them to accomplish attempts at reading sooner. The accomplishment and taste of what practice will bring are so exhilarating it encourages reading efforts.

Hooked on Information

Explore all types of literature. There are endless passages written that expand our understanding of life. We read various topics such as historical, informational, religious, poetic, and so on. Information is obtainable right at our fingertips. Inspire future book lovers by providing an understanding of how beneficial reading is in the expansion of knowledge.

Reading Central

Visiting traditional places for the avid reader is another way to show multiple examples of experienced readers, reading culture, and reading resources that connect the dots for people who thrive on knowing why learning to read is necessary or beneficial. Libraries, book stores, and some museums are popular options. A visit to Josh McDowell's traveling Gutenburg Bible show was where I first encountered some sacred written words that persevered through the ages. How amazing it is that things transform over time and yet, at the core, still serve the same purpose.

Books, Billboards & Beyond

Anything written down is something to be read. Venture beyond reading books. Focus on reading road signs, store names, magazines, mail, and other daily words that pass by. During trips, we enjoy playing made-up word and letter games that are usually some twist of iSpy. Apparently, some people have never heard of iSpy, so for anyone who needs the revelation, iSpy is a game started by someone saying, "I spy something [insert adjective]." Then, another person asks questions to try solving what the mystery object spied is. Once the item is guessed, they switch and play again. Our road trip version of iSpy was to say I spy [insert any letter or a word] and then search for any billboard or sign containing such—the first to find it won.

As long as you aren't out in the boondocks, this can be hours of fun. When we were in the middle of nowhere, we altered the game to say, "I spy something that starts (or ends) with [insert any letter]." Letter and word games of any kind go a long way in encouraging reading. We are surrounded by words: written, spoken, and heard. We must determine which statements have value and truth versus which words we should forget. Instilling a love of reading is also a life lesson.

Technology Milestones

Nowadays, we have access to all sorts of technological advances, including audiobook options. Various platforms are available at our fingertips to read to us. Who says we have to be the ones doing the reading to love reading? Audiobooks are helpful for busy schedules. Some people prefer hearing books to multitask or read on the go, while others prefer them because they are primarily auditory learners. Still, listening to another reader may not be a fit for you, but at least there are options available for any person to love reading in one sense or another.

Monthly Prize

I mentioned we love games. One way we get stoked about reading is by making books the prize. Every month I take my son to select some books he would enjoy reading. We narrow them down together until there is only one left, which is the monthly prize. He gets to read his choice of interesting, exciting, and new information. I always find it astounding to discover his picks and how much they vary.

The Shell of a Book

My oldest son tends to wonder how everything works. One of the many ways I kept books intriguing to him was by answering how books are made through video. A quick internet search and both of us could see and learn about the bookbinding process, book restoration, and shelf life. Watching the videos gave him a renewed perspective of books.

Tender Loving Care

Along with reading comes the need to know how to care for books properly. Each new book opens up an adventure exploring words. There was a sense of duty and pride that came along with the care and protection of books. Learning the importance of proper book care may also help avoid future mishaps common with children and paper objects. It doesn't take long to explain a few simple tips on handling and maintaining book condition. A little conscious effort goes a long way.

The Persuasion of Challenge

Our tribe doesn't shy away from a good challenge. A fun way to test reading skills and maintain interest is to create a family challenge! The options are endless. Some of our past challenges were a race for the silliest, longest, or most challenging to comprehend rhyme and who can read the most books in a specific time period. Find the most valuable life lesson book and best book in a selected genre are also great competition ideas to play around with.

The ultimate goal is to read all you can and enjoy it. The best way to achieve this goal is to incorporate any habit or activity that will make reading convenient and fun. These are twenty ways we have instilled a love of reading, but ultimately if there's a will, there's a way. Sometimes the will just needs a boost of inspiration.