Tips for Parents
Practical, research-backed strategies to help your child fall in love with reading.
📖Reading Aloud
- •Use different voices for different characters — kids love the performance
- •Follow your child's finger as they point at pictures and words
- •Pause to ask questions: 'What do you think happens next?'
- •Re-read favorites as many times as they ask — repetition builds fluency
- •Make it cozy: special reading spot, blanket, routine
⏰Building a Daily Routine
- •Same time every day — bedtime is classic, but any consistent time works
- •Start with just 10 minutes. Consistency beats duration
- •Let them choose the book (even if you have read it 47 times)
- •Keep books accessible — low shelves, book baskets, in the car
- •Model reading yourself — kids imitate what they see
🎯Choosing the Right Books
- •Match to interest, not just reading level — a passionate reader improves fastest
- •Mix formats: picture books, comics, graphic novels, chapter books, non-fiction
- •Use the 'five finger test': if they miss 5+ words on a page, it might be too hard
- •Series are gold — once hooked, they want to keep going
- •Include books with characters who look like them AND characters who do not
💬Talking About Stories
- •Ask open-ended questions, not just 'did you like it?'
- •Connect stories to real life: 'Remember when you felt like that character?'
- •Let them disagree with the story or the characters
- •Discuss the illustrations — what do they notice?
- •No quizzing! Keep conversations natural, not like a test
🤗When Reading Feels Hard
- •Never force reading as punishment or remove it as reward
- •Audiobooks count as reading — they build vocabulary and comprehension
- •Some kids are visual readers (comics, graphic novels) and that is perfectly valid
- •If they are struggling, drop back to an easier level — confidence matters more than challenge
- •Celebrate effort, not just achievement: 'You stuck with that tough chapter!'
📱Screen Time Balance
- •Digital reading is still reading — what matters is engagement
- •Use screen reading features: text-to-speech, word highlighting, adjustable fonts
- •Set a 'reading before screens' rule — natural incentive
- •E-readers with no apps/games reduce distraction
- •Co-read digital books together, just like physical ones