As a parent, you’re well aware of reading’s benefits. Even if countless studies didn’t highlight this fact, the pride of seeing your child read a book competently is more than enough to get you on board. Unfortunately, there’s every risk that your child isn’t half as enthused.
A surprising amount of children resist sitting down to read. As stressed as that might make you, it’s entirely normal. Kids are built to move, so reading inevitably goes against what they want to do most of the time.
This leaves you in a tricky position because not only are you a busy parent who doesn’t have time to chase this goal, but you’re also worried about pushing the reading point and leading to a reluctance that lasts your child’s lifelong.
Luckily, there is a happy medium, which comes in the form of non-reading brain building tactics that can ultimately set your child up for reading without a book in sight. Let’s take a look at what they are.
Making Brain Games Fun
Anything that helps your child’s brain is ultimately going to enhance their reading skills, so why not take a step back from the page for the moment? Choosing vital brain-building games instead can help to remove any imagined pressure, which is key to avoiding negative reading associations. Yet, choosing the right brain-building games can still keep your child’s learning very much on track. All while tapping into their instinct for fun.
Jigsaw puzzles are perhaps the best option here for younger kids, as they’re accessible and relatively easy, and tap into crucial areas of brain development—including problem solving and memory. Each of which are similar to skills they’d use when actively reading.
If your child still isn’t keen to get to books as they get older, move on to more challenging games like crosswords or chess, which further enhance reading-style skills like concentration and creativity. That way, when your child finally does pick up a book, they’ll be ready to enjoy the experience using existing skills.
Turning to Pretend Play
Even if your child doesn’t enjoy the stories in a book, the chances are that they’re constantly telling stories as they play pretend games like doctors or chefs. These early narratives might not seem like they’ll do much reading good, but leaning into those games, and guiding where possible, ensures they’re exploring narratives in crucial ways that will help later on.
Parents should especially aim to introduce gentle narratives into pretend play, such as obstacles (oh no, our oven isn’t working!), or character development, e.g., this patient is very funny, shall we go to see her first? This is subtle stuff that your child is sure to enjoy. These small play-based stories may also make them more likely to pick up a book next, especially if you can draw clear comparisons, such as: You know where I’ve read a story like this before….
Going Full-On With Physical Exercise
You’re probably aware that both exercise and reading are great for your children, but have you ever considered that one could help the other? While it might seem the exact opposite of sitting down with a good book, exercise can be great for brain function, as it increases blood flow and stimulates vital brain connections. While you might be difficult to get your child to sit still while reading right now, it may, therefore, be worth just letting them run around if that’s what they want to do. The more they indulge this need, the happier they’ll be, and the healthier their mind will become for reading when they’re ready.
Options like aerobic exercise and resistance training could have an especially positive impact. Exercise outside is also worth pursuing wherever possible, as time outside can do its own good for cognitive function. So why not start up a game of hopscotch, tag, or hide-and-seek?
Giving in to Technology
Even if your child isn’t keen on printed books, you probably won’t have too much of a battle with them about technology. So, why not get smart about combining the two? While you shouldn’t always leap into screen-based reading, introducing stories via devices like your child’s tablet could be a great compromise. And, this kind of reading brings largely the same benefits as you’d see from picking up a book. Nowadays, apps like Libby also include plenty of digital books for our kids to choose from, meaning that you can easily pick up and get reading in this format.
Reading isn’t right for every child the first time they try, but it is a hobby you can help your youngsters harness in these unexpected ways.
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