10 Ways to Help Kids Read More Books in the New Year

Has your family made your New Year’s resolutions or intentions yet? If reading more books is on the list, especially for your children, don’t miss these 10 expert ideas for making it happen

1. Help them find a genre, series, or author with many books. Getting hooked on reading can be as simple as finding a category or series of books you really like. Once your child finishes a book they enjoyed, help them find out if it is part of a series or if there are similar books by that author. If not, look for books that fall into the same genre and have them pick one out that looks interesting. 
   
   
2. Listen to audiobooks in the car. Swap out your Top 40 hits for an audiobook on your next car ride with the kids. Access to audiobooks has exploded over the past decade, and it is easier than ever to listen via CD or through your smartphone (in the car, while folding laundry together, wherever!). Don’t want to pay for a service like Audible? Ask at your local library and see if you can “check out” audiobooks for free!
   
   
3. Find a book club they can join. Reading is even more fun when you can share the experience with other readers! In the 21st century, book clubs don’t have to require in-person meetings. Some online book clubs for kids may have small monthly subscription fees, but you can also find free book clubs via your local library or online sources including Brightly and Virtual Book Club for Kids.
   
   
4. Set a reading challenge. A little personal competition can be a good lesson in goal setting, dedication, and achievement. Why not set a reading challenge with your children for the year (or each month of the year)? You might track the number of books read or hours spent reading. When they hit their reading milestones, you can reward them with small gifts like a trip to the bookstore with $10 to spend, new decorations for their reading nook, or subscription to a magazine they like.
   
   
5. Read the movies. More and more book-to-film adaptations are happening, especially with children’s books and teen literature. Take advantage of a movie date and commit to reading the book on which the movie is based with your child before or after seeing the movie. Spend time discussing the similarities and differences between the two and what you both liked and did not like about the movie adaptation. 
   
   Tip: You can do this with older movie adaptations too and make it a family movie night at home. Some book to movie ideas include: 
   
   - Harry Potter
   - How to Train Your Dragon
   - Fantastic Mister Fox
   - Ramona and Beezus
   - The Babysitter’s Club
   - Wizard of Oz
   - Zathura
   - Charlotte’s Web
   - Holes
   - Nim’s Island
   - A Wrinkle in Time
   - James and the Giant Peach
   - Lemony Snicket’s A Series of Unfortunate Events
   - Bridge to Terabithia
   - Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs
   - Diary of a Wimpy Kid
   - Harriet the Spy
   - Matilda
   - Jumanji
   
   More book-to-movie selections can be found here.
   
   
6. Ritualize reading. Daily reading time should be something worth looking forward to, not a chore your child is dreading. Set an example by taking part in daily reading time yourself, whether it is reading together with your child, or each of you reading on your own in the same room. Even just 20 minutes a day can make a huge difference.
   
   
7. Make books readily available. A recent survey by the National Literacy Trust in the UK found that students who owned books were six times as likely to read above grade level. Access to books has been shown to help improve literacy outcomes, so an excellent way to encourage your child to read more books is simply to have more around. Need help finding free or discount-priced books. Try:
   
   ​- Your local library
   - Little Free Libraries and book banks in your local neighborhoods
   - Looking online at sources like the International Children’s Digital Library
   - Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library
   - Local book swaps and exchanges (check social media and local news for these types of events)
   
   
8. Pack your backup books. You might have a first-aid kit and spare tire in the car in case of an emergency, but what about backup books? For runs to the laundromat, appointments that take longer than expected, and simple everyday errands, having a stash of books in the car for your kids to turn to for entertainment (instead of a smartphone) is a must.
   
   
9. Schedule surprise reading guests. One way to excite an unmotivated reader is to plan a reading surprise they’ll love. Consider asking a faraway relative, like an uncle or grandparent, to video chat and read a book with your child. Or ask your child to read to their pet dog or cat, to a younger sibling, or their babysitter. Make it a standing event and coordinate a new surprise guest each month. Bonus tip: Set your child up with a pen pal with whom they can share book ideas and suggestions.
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10. Start a reading journal. Sometimes just looking at a record of what you have read can compel you to read more. A reading journal is a fun and practical way to encourage kids to track what they have read, make notes about what they liked and didn’t like, and pick up another book to read and add to the list. A wonderful bonus, practicing writing can complement a child’s reading as it reinforces letter shapes, patterns, and word formations.  
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What other ideas do you have for encouraging children to read more books? Please leave a comment!