25 Ways to Get Kids Reading Every Day

Looking for creative ways to encourage your kids to read every day (and cultivate a love of reading)? We’ve got you covered! Even simple activities like running errands, doing chores, playing games, and preparing dinner offer fun and unique ways to practice reading and comprehension skills. Don't miss our top 25 easy reading ideas for kids below:
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1. Ask your child to read the grocery list when shopping.
2. Write letters and cards together to put in the mail for family and friends.
3. Play the license plate game when driving around.
4. Read books every night before bed.
5. Encourage your child to read a recipe and cook a dish with you.
6. Play games with your child that involve reading, i.e., Monopoly, Pokemon, Boggle, Scrabble, Apples to Apples, etc.
7. Set aside one afternoon each week to visit your local library.
8. Have your child practice reading the menu when you go out to eat.
9. Give your child easy access to books - at home, in the car, at Grandma’s, etc.
10.  Ask your child what they read in school and have them describe the story to you.
11. Re-enact favorite books as a game of charades.
12. Incorporate eBooks and Storybook apps into screen time to complement traditional reading.
13. Remember books as favors and presents for special occasions, birthdays, rewards, etc.
14. Ask your child to help read the map on long road trips.
15. Read everything - mail, cereal boxes, magazines at the doctor's office, etc.
16. Add more print to your child’s room and the whole house, think posters, prints, labels, charts, letter magnets, etc.
17. Create opportunities for kids to read, like leaving notes in their lunchbox or backpack.
18. Ask relatives to send letters, postcards, and other types of mail to your child.
19. Play word games that support language skills, i.e., name favorite movies that start with a specific letter.
20. Share interesting news stories and articles with your child to read and talk about them together.
21. Ask your child to write the ToDo list for the day.
22. Instead of asking “How was school today?”, ask your child comprehension-based questions like “How did you know it was Timmy’s birthday?”, “What was one thing you learned today?”, “Why weren’t you able to play outside for recess?”, etc.
23. Ask your child to read to you while you finish a task like mopping, preparing food, etc.
24. Make sure scheduled screen time includes reading components like literacy shows (i.e., WordGirl, Between the Lions, or Reading Rainbow), word games, eBooks, etc.
25. Make read-aloud time a regular activity each day! Get excited about reading time so it doesn’t feel like a chore for your child, but a gift they receive each day.

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