How to get your child excited about reading
It’s one of the most common frustrations for parents: you buy the best books, you set up a beautiful reading nook, but your child would still rather do literally anything else.
If reading has become a battle of wills in your house, the first thing to know is that forcing it almost always backfires. Literacy should be a joy, not a chore. Here are seven things that actually work to turn a reluctant reader into a book lover.
1. Let them choose the topic
It sounds obvious, but as parents, we often try to push the "classics" we loved. If your child only wants to read about garbage trucks or Minecraft, let them. The goal is to build the habit of reading, not to curate a sophisticated library at age six.
2. Read together, not at them
Reading shouldn't be a test where they have to perform for you. Instead of saying "You read the next page," try "Let's read this part together." Make it a shared experience where you are both leaning in to see what happens next.
3. Make them the hero of the story
This is the single most powerful way to hook a reluctant reader. When a child opens a book and sees their own name and their own face, their "self-relevance" trigger kicks in. Suddenly, they aren't reading about some generic kid; they are reading about themselves.
At MintMyStory, we’ve seen kids who usually hate books spend thirty minutes pouring over a story where they are the ones who save the dragon.
4. Short sessions, not marathons
Don't worry about reading for 20 or 30 minutes straight. Use "Flash Reading"—10 minutes of intense, high-interest reading is better than 30 minutes of struggle and whining. Success breeds more success.
5. Audio narration as a bridge
Audiobooks aren't "cheating." In fact, hearing a story while following along with the text is one of the fastest ways to build vocabulary and phonics. It takes the "labor" out of reading and lets them focus on the "magic."
6. Connect stories to their real life
If you read a story about a garden, go outside and look at a real plant afterward. If the book is about being brave, mention it the next time they handle a difficult situation. Connecting the page to the real world makes stories feel relevant.
7. Celebrate every page
Instead of celebrating when they finish a book, celebrate the small wins. "I love how you figured out that big word!" or "That was a really great page of reading." Building their "Reading Identity" as someone who can read is the first step to them wanting to read.
Conclusion
Getting a child excited about reading is about removing the friction and increasing the "Self-Value" of the book.