Newspaper Fun's Parents Page

Dear Parents,

Some of our kids love to read so much that we can hardly get them to pay attention to us or the rest of the world around them when they're deep into a book. They devour books and actually ask to go to the library or bookstore to get books.
Some of our kids don't like to read at all. They are sometimes described as "reluctant readers." As parents we have to work harder to engage them in reading. We try all kinds of tactics just to get them to read anything.
Luckily for us, all children have various interests, activities and hobbies. We can use these things as springboards into reading. Newspapers, books and magazines are the major items that come to mind when we discuss reading material. But, many people like to read recipes, instructions, handbooks, websites and other materials that are all "good" reading.
The main goal of the Newspaper Fun children's activity page is to get kids to read. The page is a fun, humorous (and educational) path to achieving this goal.
Below is a list of suggestions to help you get your kids interested in reading. I know that once you start to browse the list you will think of more ideas.
- Ann


Get Your Kids to Read: Ten Tips

1. Pick a special time and read every day with your children (novels, scary stories, plays and poetry are nice for reading aloud).

2. Have magazines, newspapers, books, etc. in every room of the house (yes, every room).

3. Let your children see you reading (you may even declare one "reading night" each week when the T.V. stays off).

4. Show how/why reading is important in their lives:
  • instructions to build a model or to play a game.
  • recipes for cooking something fun, making playdough.
  • link magazine stories or newspaper statistics to sporting events like the Olympic Games.
  • link a book to a movie: read the story, then take the kids to the movie or rent the DVD. Later discuss how the book and movie are the same and how they are different (plot, characters, beginnings and endings, etc.).

5. Take advantage of reading programs at your library, school or at bookstores (schedules are often online).

6. Buy used books at library, church or tag sales.

7. Build home/personal libraries, including a wide variety of subjects such as sports, classic stories, cooking, science projects, arts and crafts.

8. My Mom threw my comic books away, but they were lots of fun to read...so a comic collection might be enticing.

9. Graphic novels are very popular right now. They are a bit expensive to buy, but some libraries have a good selection.

10. Give books, magazines, etc., as gifts, perhaps packaging them with a toy or game.