Teaching a Love of Reading

by Kristina
(Colorado)

Quality Time with a Book

Quality Time with a Book

Teach your child a love of reading - it's easier than you think! Here are some ways to get started with homeschool reading.

  • Start reading out loud to them when they are very young (or before they are even born). If your kids are older, don't worry you can begin anytime! They will love this new habit of spending time with you (even if they grumble about it to begin with).


  • Read out loud to them every day. Even 10 minutes a day, after dinner or before bed are great times to gather the family for a short story. A family favorite of ours to read out loud from is The Book of Virtues by William Bennett. Let the kids take turns picking the story.


  • Teaching your kids to read in homeschool is easier than you think. Start with board books, or picture books. Say the names and colors and shapes of things in the books out loud. Ask questions like, "Where is the cat?" "What color is the sun?" and tell them the answer. "The cat is in the tree." or "The sun is yellow." Give positive reinforcement if they point to the right thing.


  • Both of my kids learned to read with the book Teach Your Child to Read in 100 Easy Lessons. It's been around forever and many homeschoolers use it. It only takes 10-15 min. a day. We never completely finished the book as it gets pretty redundant toward the end and the kids were ready to take off on their own with simple books after about half way or 3/4 of the way through it.


  • Play audio books while traveling in the car. If you have pre-readers they will love this and believe me, the whole family will get sucked into the story making the "Are we there yets?" a thing of the past!


  • Let kids read what they want - what interests them as much as you can (within reason of course). I encourage my kids to read their way through the local library - whatever they want to learn about (as long as there are no inappropriate contents). We have free reading time everyday and my son loves non-fiction or fantasy fiction. My daughter gravitates toward any story with animals in it. Let them develop their interests on their own.


  • Introduce them to poems. Short, funny poems for kids and nursery rhymes are a great way to teach a love of reading - and you will probably find they automatically memorize the most catchy ones! This is a great way to homeschool.


  • Give them an incentive! During the summer I create a reading list of some of the classics. My kids each get a dollar for reading a book off the list and another dollar if they write a short review on the book. They love earning money reading! (Check with your local library as many have summer reading incentives that kids can sign up for and earn prizes, free books or restaurant coupons.)


    • Books truly are a window to the world. Many a summer afternoon I spent traveling in time or to distant places through a book. Now, both of my children take off on their own adventures almost daily by getting lost in a story.

    Kristina
    www.Short-Story-Time.com


    Homeschool Recommended Reading :


    My recommended Homeschool Books.
    For free audiobooks and podcasts see my Educational iPod Ideas
    Signs of Dyslexia in young children.

    Comments for Teaching a Love of Reading

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    Jun 23, 2010
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    starstarstarstarstar     		Thanks for the great tips!
    by: Anonymous

    Thanks for these great tips and the reminder to read aloud to my kids even if they are older. A family reading time would be a great thing to start!

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