Children's Book Shop

Make Reading Fun!

Reading Jar

Tired of competing with video games and television to get kids to read? Make reading fun using a reading jar. It turns reading into a game, makes it easy to see the progress and rewards them for their reading.

How it works......Buy a big glass jar (which you let the child decorate with stickers, ribbon etc). Buy large colored stones or marbles. For each book the child reads, allow them to put a stone/marble in the jar. If you prefer, you could also use pennies or pebbles and give one for each page read. When the jar is filled, the child has earned a special treat (ice cream, small toy, trip to the playground, new book).  

Host a "Read In" or Start a Book Club

Invite friends and read one book together or several. Take turns-allowing a parent or child to select the book and host the "read in". They choose where to read it (their house, the park, the library). It could be an hour one afternoon a week or a month. Or could be at night with pillows and blankets. For young children parents could take turns reading the page, or for older children, each takes a turn reading a page. If one parent or child reads with a lot of expression, opt to let them read the entire book. Sit in a circle or share snacks and discuss what they liked or disliked about it. Even more fun, dress like the characters or bring toys that match the book to play with after the reading. Bake cookies and decorate with words from the book or make "conversation cookies" and write words like "best part" "funny" or "favorite character". The child that picks that cookie tells what they thought was funny, their favorite character etc.

Dedicate an area of your home as a library or reading space

It can be as simple as setting a corner of the house with a comfy chair or fancy pillows or cushions to sit on. Young children might like a reading rug. Make sure there is plenty of light. Tell the kids to make a sign that says "my reading area". Get a big basket and put new books in it and a fun or Personalized Bookmarks. Set aside "down time" to sit and read. See our Magical Thinking Chair which can be a reading chair.

Reading field trips a park, vist different libraries or bookstores across town and read a couple of books. Take a new book to grandma's house or the park and read together. Meet outdoors for a nature focused story. Reading in a new location can spice up reading for kids!

Involve kids in the selection process. Kids are more likely to read and enjoy books they pick out themselves. When the book list comes home or you visit the library or book store, suggest making a list of the books they want to read. As books are read, cross them off the list and get the next one Bookworm Journal: A Reading Log for Kids (and Their Parents) or Reading is Cool Journal . Use the list for birthday gifts or Christmas presents.

Books are a great way to teach difficult topics and can had humor to help kids understand Bullying   Puberty & The Birds and the Bees   Anger/Acting Out/Temper Tantrums/Aggressive Behavior being a Tattle Tale   

Seek and Find

For kids who like to read the same book over and over, pick out one or two words from the book and write them down. When the child reads, sees or hears them in the book, have them take some sort of action like clapping, ringing a bell, snapping their fingers, touching their head etc.) For very young readers, you can tell them to ring the bell or clap when they come to a specific part of the story rather than specific word.

Read this article about using a book as part of the bedtime routine and playing a game "hide the book" at bedtime to include in your routine. See our article "How to Put Your Child to Bed Without Tears also see Bedtime Books/Afraid of the Dark

Lead by example

Children mimic what parents do. If you want your children to become a passionate reader, become a passionate reader yourself. Let them see you read and talk about some of your favorite childhood books and suggest you read together.

Not Home at Bedtime or Too Tired to Read?

Listening Library offers great audio books which are great for kids to listen to at bedtime (they don't even need to keep their eyes open!) or to listen to in the car when driving from event to event. Click below to go to the Listening Library Website below or see these Classic Books on CD

Make your own books on tape using Sony TCM-150 Cassette Recorder with Automatic Recording Level Control Read a book and record it and let your kids play it back on the nights you can't read a bedtime story. Let your child hear the Hallmark "All The Ways I Love You" Recordable Book when your not home.

Amazon review for Best Picture Book: A Bedtime for Bear (Bear and Mouse) by Bonny Becker and Kady MacDonald Denton (Ages 4-8)

When Mouse comes to spend the night, Bear isn't sure he will like having his bedtime routine disturbed by an overnight guest. How will he ever sleep without absolute quiet? A Bedtime for Bear brings Bear and Mouse (A Visitor for Bear) together again, and first time readers of Bonny Becker's delightful duo are in for a treat. Bear reminds Mouse of his need for quiet, but carefree Mouse continues to disturb him with teeth brushing, humming, and resounding good nights. When Bear hears a noise in the night, he's awfully glad his friend Mouse is there to look under Bear's bed, behind the curtains, and in the closet. A heartwarming story of friendship and new experiences, A Bedtime for Bear is sure to become a bedtime favorite.--Seira Wilson