10 Ways Parents Can Make Reading Fun and Enjoyable for Their Child
Leanne Sherred, M.S., CCC-SLP
There’s no greater gift you can give a child than the love of reading. There are so many benefits! Books stimulate the imagination and teach new words. Reading helps children develop their listening and comprehension skills and eventually succeed in the classroom.
Reading is also linked to a child’s speech and language development. According to the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association (ASHA), children with communication problems are more likely to struggle with reading and writing skills. This affects how well they perform in school, their social development, and their ability to express themselves.
Below are 10 expert tips and strategies you can use to make reading more fun and enjoyable for your child, and ultimately expand their speech and language skills. You can also check out this quick video, where one of our speech therapists demonstrates a few of these tips with a favorite board book for toddlers!
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Start the screener1. Make reading a routine
It’s important to begin reading to your child when they're a baby, building good habits that will benefit them for a lifetime. Set aside a regular time each day to read with your child, or make a habit of reading every night before bedtime. One study from Ohio State University found that if parents or caregivers read just one book a day to their child, their child will hear about 290,000 more words by the time they reach kindergarten. That’s quite a head start!
Of course, this can be easier said than done. Between work, school, errands, and everyday life, fitting reading into our schedules can be a challenge. So if you have to skip a day, don’t be discouraged. Just read to your child as often as you can.
2. Pick the right books for your child
I don’t know about you, but if a book isn’t grabbing my attention by the first few pages, I’m more likely to zone out or put it aside. Children are no different. If books aren’t captivating their attention, they’ll be less engaged. Next time you go to the bookstore or library, encourage your child to browse the bookshelves themselves. Or if you know your child is particularly interested in zebras, find a book about zebras.
Tip: Check out this video from one of our speech therapists to learn how to adapt children’s books to any age! This can be helpful for reading the same book to siblings of different ages, or continuing to read a favorite book with your child as they get older. You can even adapt a book for older kiddos to enjoy it with your toddler!
Quick demo: How to read a book to your child like a speech therapist
Watch here3. Ask engaging questions
Asking questions not only stimulates your child’s critical thinking abilities, but also helps their understanding. For younger children, you can ask yes/no questions, such as "Is the dog happy?" For older kids, try to ask more thought-provoking questions: "Why do you think he's sad?"
Here's another example. As your child first becomes aware of letter sounds, point to a picture of a dog and ask: “What sound does the dog make?” As your child develops, ask more complex questions: “What sound does ‘dog’ start with?” Asking different types of questions also helps children practice different skills:
What is happening right now? (comprehension)
Why do you think that? (inferring)
What do you think will happen next? (predicting)
Why? (vocabulary and oral language)
4. Read slowly
It might not feel natural to read slowly or clearly pronounce each word. But it’s hugely beneficial for your child. Reading slowly allows them to hear and process each word, which can help with their comprehension.
5. Encourage your child
If your child gives an incorrect answer to one of your questions, or points to a picture of a horse and calls it a dog, try not to tell them “no.” Instead, point to the picture and say “horse.” Also, make sure to congratulate them when they are correct. This prevents children from getting their feelings hurt and reinforces the right answer.
6. Choose books with rhymes or songs
By reading books with rhymes or songs, you can keep your child interested during the entire reading experience. Clap along to the rhythm and encourage your child to clap along, too. Or sing a song and ask your child to fill in the missing words (“Old MacDonald had a farm _____”).
Tip: Check out this list of recommended children's books from Expressable speech therapists!
7. Reread the same books
You know how you always pick up new things when you watch a movie for the second time? This same principle applies when you read a book for the second, or third, or what feels like the thousandth time. Yes, it can be a little mind-numbing. But children learn new words and ideas when their favorites books are read repeatedly.
8. Be dramatic
The more fun we make reading, the more likely children will be excited to read. So loosen up! Make facial expressions or mimic a character’s voice or emotion. Change the tone or volume of your voice when a character celebrates, cries, laughs, or sings. You don’t have to put on a Broadway performance, but you’ll be surprised just how fun both of you can have.
9. Explain new words
For older children, take the opportunity to explain a few words they may not have heard before. If you do this with every unfamiliar word, you may never finish the book, so choose a handful each time you read.
10. Talk about the book when you're done
Once you’ve finished a book, take a few minutes with your child to reflect on what you’ve just read. Ask them their favorite parts and why. Talk about the setting of the story, the characters, the main problem and how it was solved. And finally, try to make connections between what happened in the book and your child’s own life.
Be sure to subscribe to our YouTube channel for more tips and demos for supporting your child’s speech and language development. Everyday activities like reading are an easy way to help your child's communication skills grow!
How Expressable Can Help
Concerned your child isn't reaching age-expected milestones? Looking for communication support from a professional? Expressable is a national online speech therapy practice serving children and adults. We treat all major areas of communication and feeding, offer flexible hours including evenings and weekends, and accept most major health insurance plans. We’re proud to have earned more than 3,000 5-star reviews from our clients (4.9/5 average).
Our therapy model is centered on parent and caregiver involvement. Research proves that empowering caregivers to participate in their loved one’s therapy leads to better outcomes. That’s why we combine live, 1-on-1 speech therapy with personalized education and home practice activities for faster progress.
Communication is more than words. It’s how we share how we feel and show who we are. We’re here to help you or your child do just that.
