It is good for kids to read for information, to read for pleasure, and to read for fun! Make sure you have all types of reading materials around the house. You need newspapers, magazines, tourist guides and anything else that gives information. Kids should have books, comic books, collections of short stories, and any kind of book they want to read. Also, let kids have joke books, funny story collections, gross facts books, or anything else that they will read. Reading is the main concern not appreciating some great author. Let the kids read what they want (within reason) and make sure you have plenty of different types of reading materials in the house.

You as a parent may or may not have time to read a novel or big non-fiction book. However, there is plenty of reading that you can do and probably already do. Let your kid see you reading. Read the newspaper, read magazines, read manuals, material for work, or anything that you need to read in front of your children. Make sure they see you reading so that they do not think it is only for kids in school. Everybody can learn by reading.

If your kids have homework they should have a set time or amount of time to do it. If they “don’t have any homework, make sure they fill that time with reading. Let them read whatever they would like but if they are done with homework, have them spend the rest of the time reading something.

You do not have to have a family spelling bee but there are all kinds of word games and spelling games that you can find for your family. There are all kinds of affordable games like Scrabble, Boggle, and other games where you have to spell words or know vocabulary. Find time to find the games that your kids like and can play and learn while playing.

Read “The Night Before Christmas” on Christmas Eve. Read the pre-amble to the Constitution on July 4th. Read the Gettysburg Address on the anniversary of that speech. As a family read the texts that may pertain to your faith or holidays. Show that reading is not only for learning but for reflecting. Reading can inspire, encourage, and inform.

This sounds like a horrible idea but many families can make it happen. Have the younger one read to the older one and let the older child just listen, not teach. If they work well together, then perhaps the older one can help correct words or how they sound. Have the older child read to the younger child as part of their homework or as part of their time together. Both kids will learn from reading out loud, and they might even do it without killing each other!

Many book stores want you to pick up books and read them. They understand that you may not have to buy them. Be careful with the books but spend time in the store looking for good books, reading passages, and looking at what types of books are interesting to each of your children. Share your interests with your child and let them see what you would like to read. You do not have to buy books but maybe every once in a while you buy one to take home.

If you are not interested in spending lots of money on books then go to the library! They have all kinds of books and they do not cost you anything if you return them on time. Local libraries have books, magazines, audio books (great for traveling), and other resources you and your kids will love. Get signed up and wear out your library card.

After you find audiobooks at the library, try a few out. You may need shorter stories or perhaps your family would like to listen to great books like The Hobbit, The Lord of the Rings, or other great books with fantastic stories and wonderful imagery. Give a few books a test drive to see what best fits your family. You might enjoy the trip next time!

Many kids have plenty of toys. Perhaps instead of giving them the next toy to break you could buy them books. Books have a greater value to their future, they tend to be more cherished later on, and they are harder to tear up! A kid probably wants more than only books but a few books for birthdays and holidays would be a great investment into your child’s learning.