How do I get my 7 yr old to enjoy reading?

Answer 1

bring them to my house. my daughter who is 6 loves to read and talk. she will teach your child to love to read.


no honestly, read with them. let your child see you reading. some of the best times at my house are when it is reading time. also my daughter gets 50 cents for reading 15 minutes a day.

Answer 2

Is your seven year old a boy or girl? What are his/her interests and build from there. If it's horses then find books about horses etc. Don't choose books that are too challenging as that will only frustrate your child. Our library has a summer reading program, for every book they read they earn tickets that go into a draw to win weekly prizes and then huge bonus prizes at the end of the summer (my son is saving his for the grand prize of a Nintendo DS) If you library doesn't offer that then do it yourself. Offer a bonus if so many books are read.

My son is now eight and LOVES to read, but when he was in grade one is was a struggle.

We had always read to him and he loved to LOOK at books but he had no real interest to read for pleasure...until we found Captain Underpants. It is a boys dream, all about bodily functions and bathroom humor.

Do you read? Setting a good example of you taking time to read on your own is also a good idea, then your child will see that it's not such a bad thing.

Answer 3

If you enjoy reading, that is a plus for him. There are summer programs at the library. Maybe a weekly trip to the library would help him to get excited, the children's section is huge.
You might make him a chart, and for every book he reads he receives a star or sticker representing every book he reads. Perhaps, some sort of special treat for 10 books, 25 books etc.

Answer 4

First, perhaps you need to take him/her to the library and let them pick out the book they want to read. Second, make sure he/she is reading at the correct level of the books he/she is reading. If it isn't challenging enough, or TOO challenging, naturally, interest will be lost. Last, set aside 15 or 20 minutes every day that he/she HAS to read. If your child sees that they can actually get into a story and follow it, they just might decide they enjoy it more.

Answer 5

My son says he hates it too (he's 7 as well) but while he refuses to pick up a chapter book, he reads the manuals to the video games so since I figured the games were so important to him we started a reward system...for every minute he reads...out loud to me....anything he chooses....he gets 2 minutes with the X-box.

he started the summer reading instructions from Cheatcodes.com that I would print off for him but last week he finished a Junie B. Jones book and he enjoyed it so much that he forgot to keep track of his time.

Just find what he likes, read about that and as he builds his confidence, encourage him to branch out.

Answer 6

Your child should see that reading is wonderful and enjoyable to you - an important part of your life. Emphasize that you are getting the cook book out, looking something up in an encyclopedia, etc etc

You should read to your child every day, wonderful stories that you offer as gifts, not a chance for him/her to sound out words.

Does your child read well? Until they do, reading won't be so enjoyable. That doesn't mean a child should be pushed to focus on reading practice.

One of the first books our second born, who wasn't the voracious reader his older sib is, really liked had a main character "Geronimo Stilton." There's a whole series of these books and they are so cool because interspersed with texts are maps, funny drawings, jokes, and rebuses. Many styles of font are used. They're just pleasant.

Also, DK makes wonderful books with incredible photos and lots of details.

Get him/her lots of books on topics they like, or books you remember from childhood and love. Dr. Seuss is so wonderful.

So, 1) you read for yourself 2) you read for him 3) get her lots of wonderful books 4)be sure his/her skill level is in line with your expectations.

Answer 7

Take him to the library for special children's programs.

Find a local bookstore that has a good children's section where they don't care if you read while you hang out.

Look into the "Head start" program if you qualify

Look into RIF (reading is fundamental)

Get books that excite a 7 year old like ones about space or dinosaurs

Answer 8

Make sure you are reading to him/her, talk about books s/he has read, make sure you get books in the area of interests for him/her - no matter what. It's also really important that the dad and mom model reading for their children - you could be reading while the child is reading. Make sure there are all kinds of books everywhere in the house.

Answer 9

Turn off the TV and open a book. Limit your child's television viewing and restrict his use of video games. Read to your child every day! I can't overstate this concept enough. Children learn to read by being read to. They learn that words have meaning and can express ideas. It also very important that he see you read all the time. Do you read the paper each day, for example? If so, great! Do you read magazines and books? Please say yes. He'll be more inclined to read if he sees that you (and your spouse read) for pleasure. If you plop yourself in front of the tube then he's only going to emulate this behavior. Read to him before bedtime. Make this your normal bedtime routine. Have a family reading night, where you and your spouse read aloud to him outside of his bedtime story.

Take your child to the library and get him his own library card and let him pick out books he likes. Take him to story times at the library and other places where they present books. Talk to your children's librarian and ask her for book recommendations. Buy him a subscription to a magazine. Buy at least one book for him on his birthday and on other special occasions. Make him know that reading books is rewarding.

Check out a copy of "The Read-Aloud Handbook" by Jim Trelease. It's an invaluable resource for parents. Please visit his web site at the link below. He's a huge advocate of reading aloud to children. In the first eight chapters of his book he explains why reading aloud is so critically important to children, but the last part of the book is probably the most valuable tool for parents. He offers a treasury of great books to read to children. Also, check out the second link from Amazon.com. (another great resource for children's books).

I wish you and your child much joy in reading. By reading to your child, you'll open doors to worlds he may never visit but through a book and he'll gain a greater appreciation of the world and the possibilities it holds. His imagination will grow and he'll be able to envision himself doing things or going places when he grows up. He may develop a particular interest in a field of study that leads to a career someday.

Answer 10

Let them choose the books, let them choose books as easy or as hard as they want. Even comics. I pay the kids 25 cents per day to read for half an hour. They are very eager to read and because they get so much practice, they get to be better readers, when they get to be better reader, reading becomes more fun.

Answer 11

Find books about subjects that interest them and take turns reading with them. You read 3 pages, child reads 3 pages.