Encourage Your Child to Read More by Showing Books Face Up
When it comes time to choose books to read, kids often gravitate toward old favorites. There is nothing wrong with that – there are advantages to repeating the same stories over and over again. But maybe they just don’t know what else is hidden deep in the shelves.
To encourage children to read new stories, simply lay out a few books right side out. Sarah Mackenzie recommended this tip on her Read-Aloud Revival podcast , explaining that “a good book cover is an irresistible invitation.” I can attest that it works. My daughter’s room has a standard bookcase that does a great job of storing a lot of books. But there are also some picture ledges on the wall where I can constantly show new titles or ones that we haven’t accepted for a long time. They are always striking, and she wants to read them right away. How could she not do this? It’s like the “Trending Now” line on Netflix. Some of our recent favorites are Patrick McDonnell ‘s Utterly Confused , Keith Beaton ‘s The Princess and the Ponies , and Victoria Cannes’s Emerald .
When you change a display, which might be on a shelf, or a dresser, or a picture ledge like ours, don’t say anything – just watch what happens. Your kids will love discovering new books and choosing them on their own. And if the headline “just like that” sounds like “ How to clean your room like a champion,” so be it.