Top tips to encourage your child to read

  • Reading aloud with and to your child every day will really encourage them and help them to love reading
  • It will also help if you encourage your child to read to you. Following  the words with your finger will help them
  • Praise your child for trying hard at their reading. It’s all right for them to make mistakes
  • Keep reading to your child even when they can read for themselves. Read books that are too difficult or long for them to read
  • Find the children’s section at your local library. Get to know the staff, who are happy to help you
  •  Have children choose their own books as soon as they start showing a preference for one over another. Talk to your child about what they like to read. Encourage them to explain why they like these books
  •  Try reading books with chapters and talk about what is happening in the story. Encourage your child to guess what will happen next and compare the story and characters to others that you have read
  •  If your child does not like the book you are reading put it away and read another. Reading is a fun time, not a time for a battle
  •  Children may want to read the same book again and again and again. Let them, even if you think they have outgrown it
  •  Look for books that you will enjoy yourself. Your enjoyment will show and helps your child to enjoy the book too
  •  It really helps if you read yourself as this sets an example for your child and shows that reading is a fun thing to do
  •  Enjoy yourselves and have fun. The most important thing to help a child become a successful reader is to show that reading is valuable and enjoyable
  •  You could try using different ‘voices’ for different characters in a story, but don’t feel you have to do this if it makes you uncomfortable
  • Ask friends, family and teachers what books their children have enjoyed, try a book swap
  • Don’t worry if your child reads newspapers, magazines, comics and the Internet as well as books

 Don’t worry too much about reading aloud perfectly, the important thing is enthusiasm