Reading train - Improve your reading skills

How can you create a good Reading Environment for Children to learn and enjoy reading at home?

I'm interseted in learning about how to create good places for children to read at home and, ways to encurage reading at home. Are there certain enviroments or factors that might make reading easier? I want the children to be intrested in reading on their own. How have you done it or how would you have done it in a perfect senierio.

Public Comments

1. A comfortable, well-lit, reading nook (beanbag chairs are always good for this) READ TO THEM FREQUENTLY!!!! Find books on subjects they are interested in Let them catch YOU reading books
2. I started reading to my children when they were 6 months old. They started to read simple text before they started school. My two eldest are now 9 & 7 and love to read at home. I have a large bookcase in their room and they choose a book to read half an hour before bed time every night.
3. How about giving them personalized books? Kids love to read a story when their name is in the storyline. There are many titles to choose from like Sesame Street, Batman, Spider-Man, Ballerina Princess - - go to this website and check it out http://www.tlc-expressions.com I believe these books encourage kids to read and to develop a love for reading...
4. I think what is important is a quiet area and have plenty of there favorite books on hand. Have them create the environment for themselves, then it will feel more like its their creation. Good luck
5. children will only read something that interests them so having the appropriate literature helps, lack of tv and other distractions such as computers from a certain room helps also the room has to be comfortable for the child he/she will not inclined to do any thing if it causes them discomfort. The most important thing is to encourage them with out sounding like you are nagging them to read, which is a fine balance I can tell you . Isn't being a parent just the most fun!!!!!!! lol!
6. give them a comfy reading spot (such as a bean bag) thats quiet with no distractions. maybe you can give them some sort of snack or drink, and some good books to read with a wide variety of choices to read from.
7. me and my wife have two kids a boy and a girl and you hardly ever see us without a book we both love reading our kids have thier own book shelf for thier book in thier room and in the liveing room with our book shelves we read to them and we also let them read us a story (usually made up by them) they look at the pictures and tell us the story dont know how to read good yet but they are learning that way so what im saying is show them reading is fun and you can learn stuff to
8. A quiet, comfortable place - the bean bag idea is awesome - kids are naturally inquizitive (sp?) so just feed their imagination! Give them a spsce that is their own...read to them, get them to read to you...don't be afraid of using longer book (Roald Dahl are great) and have time with them when they can draw pictures from the story, write new endings...display their work! Just don't make reading into a chore - that's what school's do by making it homework and boring! Feed their imagination...get them to make up stories and make their own books! Take them to the library as often as you can and let them spend time there! I commend your attitude! More parents need to be so dedicated!
9. First..making age and reading level books availiable to them ie: shelf or basket etc they can reach, in their bedrooms and another location where the rest of the family gather. Topics/stories that interest them. Encourage (particularly pre-school-yr1) to talk to you about the pictures, what's going on in their words and understanding. Activities, such as drawing their favourite character or making up their own story book - you may have to help. It's great to have comfy beanbags, own chairs, big pillows/cushions, but also encourage reading anywhere. Make a time to read to them, or with older kids read the same book and discuss it. Also, role model by reading books, etc yourself. Make visiting the local library a fun activity with them and check out what activities your library has to offer - some offer them during school holidays. Make it a fun, interesting activity. There's no perfect scenario - each family is different, just your interest and willingness to do this is a great for your family
10. My girl is 5 and is very much her mother's daughter. She loves to read and is on Level 7 books already! I lead by example and have always had my nose in a book, not to mention bookshelves everywhere! I've always read to her, even as a baby, and she just couldn't get enough. We read everywhere and anywhere. She has shelves full of books and she keeps a pile of special ones by her bed to flick through. She loves to snuggle up with cushions and blankets and read, either by herself or with me. Also, we don't have a TV so that is one BIIIIG distraction gone right there. Now she's starting to write her own books :-) Just make reading a big deal and remind them that books can take them to another world :-)
11. I read to my babies (3 yrs and 6 yrs) at night before they go to bed. Or even the couch works well too. 3 and younger: any books that are short and sweet unless they have a good attention span. 3-6: The classics (Little Golden Books; Disney books-they already know the story from the movies; Dr. Suess), essentially anything other than chapter books unless they have the attention span. 6 and over: Chapter books (Chronicles of Narnia; Lemony Snickets; Harry Potter; Etc) There is a great website that you can get the whole series of Lemony Snicket's Series of Unfortunate Events (hardcover, 13 books) for about $40. www.qpb.com
12. TV off. Have a few durable books mixed in with their toys. Let them see how much fun it is to look at the pictures. Reading just before bed time is a good time to read, it makes them relax a bit more.
13. I think it is great that you want to encourage your children to read. Reading is so enjoyable, and so many people do not realize this, because they were never encouraged to read for fun. I would first and foremost model the behavior you want to see. Read with and around your children. Tell them about a good book you read lately. Get excited about the books you are reading. Secondly, you could make reading a treat. If your kids are especially good one day, read extra with them that night. Make it seem as if reading is a reward, not something they have to do for school or something. Also, you could buy your kids a good book for Christmas (or Hanukah, etc.). Hope these ideas help!
14. i have 2 children almost 11 and 12,i started to read to them when they were babies and before they went to sleep,my daughter is an avid reader and will read anytime any place anywhere!my son i still read to him and he still reads at night before he goes to bed,both me and my mother have read from being young so i think some of it is in the genes,but u can encourage reading by reading to your children,discussing the story,going to the library,reading before going to sleep,also my kids dont play up in the car if we are out for the day they will read a book!
15. i use to take my children to the library right from little baby's, then we would have a reading time for each one, work the times out to suit you, and there needs remember no telly on at this time .
16. I bought my daughter books with her favourite character, dora the explorer so she loves reading because she is familiar with the characters. She has a routine where i bath her, put on pyjamas, do teeth and then read a book so she knows when to expect a story. Now she asks me to read her books during the day, so i make sure telly is off, no distractions is easiest i find