3 Ways to Get Your Grandkids to Read for Pleasure

Some people are extremely fortunate to have their parents alive to help them out with their kids. Some days, I smile to myself imagining how my mom would have been with my little human if she were still alive. When grandmom Susan Day asked if she could write a guest post from a grandparent’s perspective, on how to get your grandkids to read, I just had to say yes.

Here are Susan’s 3 Ways to Get Your Grandkids to Read for Pleasure

We all know how important it is to encourage children to read. Your grandchild may not grow up to study English, but reading for pleasure is a worthwhile and fundamentally important pastime.

Not only does it open up worlds that your grandchild may never have the opportunity to experience in their own lives, but reading gives them solid literacy skills which will ensure they are a success at any career they choose.

How do you encourage your grandkids to read for pleasure? How can you best instil in them a love of books, and the written word?

Here are three suggestions you can use to encourage your grandkids to read for pleasure.

1 Be a Reader Yourself

Be the role model they are looking for, and set an example for your grandkids to follow.
Leave books lying around and choose to read instead of watching television.
Show them that reading is something they can do at any time of the day, not just bedtime. Read before breakfast, after lunch, and while waiting for the bus.
Being a reader yourself will certainly encourage the children around you to do the same.

2 Celebrate Books as Gifts

Books make great gifts. They are often treasured more than toys and games, living on bookcases and in trunks for years long after the other things have been thrown away.
When you give a book as a gift it gives you the perfect opportunity to share it. Reading and share-reading are wonderful ways to create memories that will last a lifetime and encourage a love of reading.
Each time your grandchild revisits the story, they will remember the time they spent with you. And, if you are lucky enough they will share the same books with their children in years to come.
Best of all you can dedicate the book to each grandchild and make the gift of giving the book even more special.

3 Help Children Create Their own Stories

Engendering a love of stories can also come from becoming a storyteller. Children have fantastic imaginations and will often grab the opportunity to share it if given the chance.
When you have finished reading a book ask your grandchild what they think could happen next. Will Snow White go on to have a career on the stage and have seven children? Will Red Riding Hood go on to become an animal trainer? Will she ditch the red hood for something more modern?
Engage children in the art of storytelling by allowing them to write their own stories. These can come straight from their imagination or they could re-write a classic. What might have happened if Goldilocks came to a house where there were three mice, who were blind, or three pigs who needed some advice on how to construct strong homes?
Some children may have difficulties writing using a pen or even typing, which can be tiresome if they can’t do it quickly. If this is the case, why use your smartphone to record their stories. That way they can still share with all the members of the family.

About Susan Day

Susan Day is a passionate author, educator and, of course, a grandmother. She wants to empower all grandparents to build meaningful relationships with their grandchildren. Discover here the Top 10 Things Happy Grandparents Never Regret Doing.
Susan lives in country Australia with four dogs, three bossy cats, two rescue guinea pigs, and an errant kangaroo.

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What do you think of Susan’s post? Are you a grandparent? How to you get your grandkids to read for pleasure? Please leave a comment below.