7 Proven Ways to Encourage a Reluctant Reader

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Your kids know how to read, but do they love reading? If you have a reluctant reader in your homeschool, here are some strategies to try that may help them get lost in their next favorite book.

Homeschool mamas: what’s the first thing you thought about needing to teach your kids when you began homeschooling?

My guess is: reading. Teaching our kids how to read is something we all know is important. So we search for the perfect curriculum, different methods that will help our kids, and we work on sight words and other strategies until something “clicks”.

We want our kids to be strong readers, so we focus on the logistics (not a bad thing). But sometimes, amidst a world of iPads and video games, the idea of reading for fun can be lost to our kids.

I can shake my head like I don’t understand, but I get it. I spent probably a total of 10 solid years of time with my nose in a book growing up. But times have changed – and all too often, the lure of Facebook gets the best of me more times than I’d like to admit, even though I have a stack of books I “want” to read.

My kids can be reluctant readers, too. I know there might be different interpretations of this phrase, but to me it means they don’t often choose reading over other options. They can read, but might not really like to read (or don’t think they like to).

So needless to say, I’ve had to search for different ways to encourage them and inspire them to read, and even (maybe?) find that love for it.

Your kids know how to read, but do they love reading?  If you have a reluctant reader in your homeschool, here are some strategies to try that may help them get lost in their next favorite book.

Why Reading “For Fun” is Important

Some children might actually avoid reading because they are struggling to read. I think this is a different situation than just being a reluctant reader. If you’re working with a child who has dyslexia or an anxiety about reading, it’s important to find support and resources for homeschooling a struggling reader.

Aside from a learning disability though, a reluctance to read might stem from a variety of reasons. However, just because you’ve got a reluctant reader doesn’t mean you won’t be able to encourage them to challenge their likes and dislikes, or spark an appreciation for the written word.

And why do we even want to do this? Why do we care so much that our kids spend time reading each day?

Lots of reasons! Yes, it’s one thing to teach our kids “how” to read. But like any other skill we learn, reading should be practiced and nurtured. If it’s not, it may have a negative effect on their education as they move into higher grades.

When our kids discover a love of reading, it opens up doors to entire new worlds and opportunities for personal growth and development. Exposing our kids to rich and age appropriate texts will help them grow in their knowledge of vocabulary, grammar, and spelling, as well as comprehension as they encounter language they may not hear or use in typical conversation.

And it’s a ripple effect; the more they read, the better they may be able to express themselves in speech and writing as well.

Encouraging a Reluctant Reader

However, just telling our kids reading “is important” probably won’t cut it! (I’ve tried). We’ve got to intentionally find other ways to motivate our kids to read.

Here are some suggestions for how you can encourage the reluctant reader in your home.

Read Out Loud to Your Kids

Just because our kids get older doesn’t mean they don’t like being read to anymore! And family read-aloud time can be such a great way to help a reluctant reader not only improve their own reading skills, but learn to love books.

We made some amazing family memories the year I spent reading the entire Harry Potter series to our kids out loud (yes, all seven books!). And yes, it did take us the entire year (and yes, we watched all of the movies after each book. No, they weren’t as good).

I didn’t think it would turn into the phenomenon that it did. But it helped spark an interest for similar stories and texts my kids would later show an interest in. And it was so much fun to leave them hanging at the end of the chapters, desperate to find out what happened next!

Not only that, but our reading time together became a habit, and we now often have a book we enjoy together in the evening (my kids usually bring it to the dinner table so I can read while they have dessert!).

So choose some books you can dig into as a family to spark that joy. Find a great series your reluctant reader won’t want you to put down, and help them learn about reading as you cherish this time together.

Vary the Reading Material

It was encouraging to me to recognize that even though my kids might not have their noses in a book 24/7, there are many other ways they gain reading experience throughout the day, and we can encourage them to read a variety of material they find interesting.

My son, for example, gets the free Lego Life magazine every other month. And while it’s not a novel, he is engrossed in digging into the pages.

My kids also went through a big Pokémon phase, and gained some great reading skills as they read Pokémon cards to play the game and trade cards with friends. And even though I don’t always love them choosing video games over reading, there is also reading required often in many of the video games they play.

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My point is – all reading is valuable. Instruction manuals? Graphic novels or comic books? Joke books? Cook books? All have a place if your child shows interest! Make sure you are allowing your kids the freedom to choose their own material on occasions, and don’t worry too much if it’s not exactly what you think they should be reading.

Create a Fun Reading Environment

Creating a no-stress, low-pressure atmosphere in your homeschool can make a big difference for a reluctant reader, and help boost their confidence in reading. Your goal, remember, is to show them how much fun reading can be!

If your “typical” reading lessons take place at a table or desk, try creating a special place just for quiet reading time. Grab some pillows and blankets to create this cozy reading spot in your home. You might decide to have some special snacks on hand just for “reading time”.

And while we do want to help our kids improve their reading, remember that their independent reading time doesn’t always have to be challenging. There is a time and place for that, but keeping the pressure off during reading time can make a big difference for a reluctant reader.

Experiment with some more ideas on how you can make reading fun for your kids aside from refreshing your reading environment. One idea I love is giving your reluctant reader a special allowance each month to spend only on books. Create another fun family ritual of a monthly bookstore trip to pick out those new books they will love, that they can enjoy in their new favorite reading spot at home.

Ask Your Reluctant Reader to Read to Their Toys

One way I like to sneak in some reading practice for my kids is by asking them to read to their younger brother. They get to experience bringing joy to someone else through reading while working on their own read-aloud skills.

If your child is the youngest, you might try having them grab their favorite toys each night and reading them a bedtime story. Or maybe they could read their favorite book to a pet (sometimes they have pet read-aloud events at the local library – check for this if you think your reluctant reader might enjoy it!).

It might seem silly to ask your kids to read out loud to a pet or a toy, but this can give your child opportunities to read without judgement or correction, and help them grow more confident in their reading. If your kids have a big imaginations, they might really love this exercise!

Reading Incentives

A little extrinsic motivation might be just what you need if you’ve got a reluctant reader. Who doesn’t love a challenge or the opportunity to win a prize every now and then?

Our local library offers a summer reading challenge each year, and it encourages my kids to read all summer long. You can recreate this in your homeschool with a reading challenge like this one, or come up with your own!

A free printable reading chart can be a great incentive for kids. We also enjoy the Pizza Hut Book It! program, which is the longest-running corporate-issued reading challenge, stemmed from the company’s own mission to turn “have to” reading into “want to”. You can read about their homeschool program here.

Finally, how about using these cute Reward Punch Cards with your kids? Check out my post to grab them for free, and read about other ideas to motivate your kids with them.

Get Techie

Technology is another valuable resource in motivating kids to read, when used appropriately. Today, kids have a wide range of ebooks, audiobooks, and apps available to choose from.

Epic! is our family’s favorite online ebook service. Epic! is a subscription service that offers access to over 25,000 books for kids in a fun, safe environment. My daughters absolutely love being able to choose books on Epic!, and I love the personalized content and progress tracking features they offer. I’ve seen growth in their reading ability and their enjoyment of it since we began using it. You can try Epic! for free for 30 days here.

My husband is a big advocate of audiobooks; your reluctant reader may really enjoy them as well, just as they may enjoy family read aloud time (audiobooks are also great for long car rides!). Listening to an audiobook is a great way to relax from what some might consider the “work” of reading, and simply fall in love with a story. Fun narrators can really bring the books alive! Audible is a great resource for finding good audiobooks to enjoy.

Join or Start a Book Club

Reading with friends can be a great motivator for us as adults – and it can encourage our kids to read as well!

Your kids could find a reading community online at a website like Outschool, or your kids might have an opportunity to create a book club at your local co-op or church.

Don’t be afraid to think outside the box! Maybe a few families can get together each month for a “book swap” between the kids, everyone sharing a favorite book or two they read that past month and passing it along for someone else to enjoy.

A book club might just be the thing your reluctant reader needs to discover some great reading material, find motivation through accountability, and share something special with friends through books.

Final Thought: Model by Example

The last thought I want to leave you with to encourage the reluctant reader in your homeschool: when was the last time they saw you sit down and enjoy a book?

Are you modeling your love of reading to your kids? If so – that’s great! If not, see if you can carve out some time this week to read with them or alongside them, to show them by your actions what you think is valuable about reading for enjoyment. And after a long homeschool day, curling up with a good book might be a great way to unwind and spend time with your kids.

I’d love to hear from you in the comments: what tips have you found beneficial in motivating a reluctant reader in your home? Let us know!

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