• Read with your child every night as part of their bedtime routine (or let the older ones read themselves)
  • Make sure to zero in on what interests your kid the most.  There’s a saying that if you don’t like to read, you just haven’t found the right book yet.
  • Take younger kids to storytimes.  Our local library has a great story reader that also plays guitar for the kids.
  • Take turns reading with reluctant readers. You read a chapter, then they read a chapter
  • Get them into a book series.  There are so many for chapter book and middle-grade readers.  If they find one they like, they can’t wait to read the next one!
  • Set a good example by letting your kids see you read – books, magazines, newspapers.
  • Join a summer reading club for kids.  Take your kids to the library for a weekly trip and ask for recommendations.  Libraries often rent DVDs too.  You could use an incentive to read a certain amount and be rewarded with a movie for the weekend.
  • Start a book club for parents and their kids to do together.  It’s reading, it’s bonding time, it’s making new friends!
  • Use for rewards: every hour of video game playing must be matched by one hour of book reading.
  • Despite being in front of a screen again, e-readers are great.  You can even get library books out on most of them.  Put a couple of books on their Kindle, Nook or iPad before a trip.  You save on luggage weight and have instant and worthwhile entertainment.  Just make sure to turn those screens off well before bedtime to keep from interfering with sleep.
  • Read the novelization of a movie.  Compare and see which one your kid likes better (in my opinion, the book is always better!).