As Mary Poppins once said, “A spoonful of sugar makes the medicine go down.” In other words, your kids are more likely to do challenging things—like reading—if you make them fun! There’s a lot of information out there about how our kids need to read more. Maybe you’ve tried scheduling reading time or making special trips to the library, but here are some fun, sneaky ways to work reading into your day: 



1. Turn on the subtitles! Sometimes I do this just to make sure I don’t miss any dialogue from my favorite shows, but your kids will benefit from hearing and seeing the words at the same time. (One Minute Reader does this automatically!)
   
   
2. Play word games. Any game that has cards with questions that players have to read will...make your kids read! Think Trivial Pursuit or Apples to Apples. And if they start fighting over the rules, suggest that they read the instructions! 
   
   
3. If your kids are big Marvel fans, find the corresponding comic books for the recent films. Make it a rule that they have to read the related book (or the comic book) before they see the movie! Some popular books that became movies: the Harry Potter series, Diary of a Wimpy Kid, and A Series of Unfortunate Events.
   
   
4. Ask kids to help in the kitchen by reading a recipe, or while on a car ride by looking for signs with the names of landmarks. Have them be in charge of reading the menu to the table when you’re out at a restaurant, or while doing anything that involves written directions. Even having kids explain what they see in visual directions develops their comprehension.
   
   
5. Audiobooks, anyone? Yes, you listen to them in the car or at the gym, but listening to an audiobook with your kids is a great way to generate conversation about characters and feelings. And experts agree that listening to an audiobook is just as good as reading an actual book.
   
   
6. Be pen pals! Send your child notes in their lunchbox or stick them on their bathroom mirror. Encourage them to respond or create their own notes to send to their favorite people—or themselves! 

Chances are, working these simple strategies into your day will make reading seem like less of a chore, and more fun! Let us know how you get your kids to read more!