These 10 reading activities are not only a great way to teach kids how to read, but get them to love reading. Most kids don’t start out loving to read, but through various reading activities and good books the love of reading can become second nature to kids. These reading activities can help kids learn to love to read whether you’re doing them at home or in the classroom.
Kids Reading Books Is Important
We want our kids reading books. But they don’t always want to unfortunately. So today we have a list of ways to get your kids reading books, even if they don’t necessarily have a love of reading. Or perhaps you’re little one is just now exploring books and you want to build the love of reading. Regardless the reason, these 10 ways are a sure fire way to get your kids reading books!
Reading is an important skill that all kids have to learn. Most of the time though, getting a kid to read can be a chore, but these tips are a great way to teach kids how to love books at an early age and will help entice kids to read more books even as they’re older.
Teach your kids to love to read by encouraging a love for reading while they’re LITTLE. Today we have a collection of the best ways to encourage the love of books in even the littlest readers.
Kids Reading Books Have Lots Of Benefits
Reading books have so many benefits like:
- Improved Language Skills
- Increased Concentration
- Increased Discipline
- Higher Chance Of Academic Success
- Improves Language Skills
- Cultivates The Love Of Reading
- Supports Cognitive Development
- Reduce Stress
- Exercises The Brain
- Improves Sleep
- Increases General Knowledge
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Related: Check out these childrens book ideas
A GReat List To Help Kids Love to Read
1. Read With Your Kids
No age is too little to start flipping through books together. Check out this great booklist by age. It’s a great resource to use if you are starting at your at home library or when borrowing books from your local library.
2. Never Underestimate A Bedtime Story
Read out loud at bedtime. If you are looking for a new bedtime favorite book, check out our favorite bedtime story books list. This will help to get kids reading books because they will want to hear their favorite stories over and over again! This will help with understanding, reading comprehension skills, exploration of the world around then and help with phonemic awareness.
3. Make Letter Crafts To Start Early Letter Recognition
Help get your kids reading books by getting them confident with the alphabet. You can’t start reading until you have the basics down! And you don’t get more basic than the alphabet. That’s why these alphabet crafts are a great way to learn sounds and their abc’s!
- Letter A crafts
- Letter B crafts
- Letter C crafts
- Letter D crafts
- Letter E crafts
- Letter F crafts
- Letter G crafts
- Letter H crafts
- Letter I crafts
- Letter J crafts
- Letter K crafts
- Letter L crafts
- Letter M crafts
- Letter N crafts
- Letter O crafts
- Letter P crafts
- Letter Q crafts
- Letter R crafts
- Letter S crafts
- Letter T crafts
- Letter U crafts
- Letter V crafts
- Letter W crafts
- Letter X crafts
- Letter Y crafts
- Letter Z crafts
Recognizing letters will help early learners with consonants. Younger children can learn individual sounds of the letters as well as vowel sounds which will help with reading later on. Letter sounds is important as is know the letter of the alphabet and letter names.
4. Watch The Letter Factory
I used this with my kids and it was quick and easy and you will be singing along. Grab a copy of The Letter Factory and let it be your constant companion for one week and your kids will know all the sounds. Yep, one week – check out confirmation from our friend over at Your Modern Family.
5. Play Reading Games and Do Pre-Reading Activities
Play reading games or choose a beginning reader activity to do together. Associate curiosity with reading. If you want your kids reading books you have to also associate fun with reading. A lot of kids see reading as a chore, but these reading games will help them associate fun with it instead.
6. Teach The Skills Of Sitting Still and Playing Quietly
This is my kids biggest issue. They like reading, but they get distracted and are always concerned about missing out whether it’s with TV or whatever I’m doing or their siblings are doing. Reading isn’t only about opening books, focusing and sitting still are huge parts too. Quite time activities are a great place to start. Here are a few of our favorites:
- Pipe Cleaner Bracelets — perfect for preschoolers to work on focus
- Paint Chip Puzzles — puzzles are great for problem solving another skill used later for reading
- And check out this list of 55+ More Quiet Time Activities
7. Take Trips To The Library
Load up the minivan and take the kids to the library and bring home lots of books! We love keeping ours in a special book basket when not in use so they don’t get lost. This will also get kids reading books, because they will never get bored. They can always find books they love! Plus, libraries also have fun things like book fairs and even story time hour!
8. Reading Logs for Competitive Book Reading
For older kids start a reading log — it’s the perfect visual way for your kids to see their success. And it’s super exciting to see when you’re succeeding. I would also say you could offer a reward system based on their reading. Rewards are also a great way to get kids reading books. Maybe a reward could be a new bookmark of their choice, a new book, comic, magazine, something fun that pertains to reading.
9. Create A Cool Bookshelf
Keep lots of books around the house! And what better way than in an awesome book shelf?
- Rain Gutters lining the kids bedroom — by Home Stories A to Z
- Add shelves to the Side of Their Dresser — by Life As A Thrifter
- Cubby on Wheels using an old skateboard — by Project Little Smith
- Stacked DIY Painted Crates — by Positively Splendid
- Love Bookshelf — by Do it And How
- The Star is made out of individual boxes which create a gorgeous piece on your wall — by Apartment Therapy
- Tree Branches — by Home My Design or if you’re feeling really organic use real tree branches!
- Pallet Shelf is perfect for cookbooks in the kitchen — by Thriving Home
- Upcycled Old Dresser Drawers — by Hometalk
I may have got a little carried away with all the cool bookshelves but hopefully my point came across: reading isn’t just about opening books, it’s about an opportunity to learn, have fun, bond, explore and create a whole world around your books!
10. Don’t Rush It
I know we want our kids reading books, but sometimes they aren’t ready. And that’s okay. Kids will learn when their little brains are ready and for each kid the timing is going to look different. Pushing too hard too early will likely cause your little one to miss out on the fun part of reading.
Some Of Our Favorite Books To Get Kids To Love Reading
There are so many great alphabet books, lesson books, nursery rhymes that make learning fun. It doesn’t matter if you have teaching experience or not, these books teach important skills which will build a strong foundation for reading which is an essential skill.
- Learn To Ready Activity Book
- Learn To Read: Sight Words
- Early Learning Library: 5 Set
- Early Learning Library: 10 Set
Sight words are a great to grow your young child’s vocabulary using familiar words and new words. These words are generally common sight words which your child will often see on their reading journey.
More Book Fun from Kids Activities Blog
- How to draw a book
- Best kids books about space
- Pre-reading skills are enhanced through our favorite preschool workbooks
- Check out the Scholastic book club
- Dolly Parton Imagination Library is really cool…check it out!
- We have tons of reading comprehension worksheets for your back-to-school.
- It’s the perfect time for reading! Here are fun summer reading club ideas for kids.
- Let’s create a reading corner for our babies and toddlers (yes, it’s never too young for promoting a healthy love of reading).
- It’s important to learn about National Book Readers Day!
- Check out these early reading resources to get started on the right foot.
- What about this fun frog story?
- Check out this list of 82 must read rhyming books!
- Aww! this dad built this 3 seat rocking chair for his kids!
- Learn about National Literacy Day!
What is your child’s favorite book? How do you encourage reading at your house?
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