Blog

Motivate Kids to Read More!

Anne Hauth • November 14, 2024

After decades of helping struggling and reluctant readers, we know this for sure: The more kids read, the faster they'll improve. In One Minute Reader, the quickest path to reading competency is to successfully complete as many stories as possible while maintaining accuracy and comprehension. So how can you motivate kids to increase the number of stories they read?


The One Minute Reader system is inherently motivating, but here are a couple more tips to get kids even more excited:


  1. Incentives! One Minute Reader gives kids points as they work through the steps for each story. Kids have fun accumulating these points--especially if they result in a reward! Many parents like to offer a small token (a treat, a sticker, a bit of screen time) when their child reaches a certain number of points. Small rewards could also be offered after the child passes a certain number of One Minute Reader stories or gets through a certain number of books. Be sure to verbally recognize your child's achievements, too. When you acknowledge your child's improvement in reading, it's often the best reward of all. 

  2. Change the number of required Read Alongs and Read Alones based on performance. The One Minute Reader program requires kids to read along with audio recordings of the story and then to practice reading the story alone until able to read the story fluently. In the beginning, kids will often need to read along with the recording and practice the story more than once. However, if your child is making great progress and seems ready for a challenge, you can reduce the number of times they're required to read along and practice. (Parents can change these settings or each reader under the My Readers button in the reader management system.) This will allow them to progress through the stories more quickly. Conversely, kids who are not making the progress you'd expect may benefit from increasing the number of Read Alongs and Read Alones required until they become more fluent.

  3. Do additional research. One Minute Reader stories are about fascinating nonfiction topics. Kids working through the program will learn about everything from the invention of popsicles to meat-eating plants to barrier-breaking athletes. When your child seems particularly interested in a certain topic, it's easy to turn that interest into additional minutes of reading. Help them google more facts about the topic, or better yet, help them find a book about it at the library. The extra time they spend researching and reading about their favorite topic will translate into increased reading proficiency.

  4. Read together. Reading with your kids is one of the most effective ways to help them improve. When parents take the time to read with struggling or reluctant readers, the kids experience reading as enjoyable instead of frustrating. Teaching them words they may not know or asking them to read paragraphs aloud with you are great strategies to build their competence. One Minute Reader helps kids improve their reading skills independently. When parents combine this program with quality reading time together, kids tend to reach their reading goals quickly and with minimal frustration.


So much of parenting involves trying to motivate kids to do things they need to do but may not want to do. Struggling and reluctant readers often stay stuck because they lack the desire to practice. Finding little ways to encourage them to read more and to read consistently is essential. We at One Minute Reader are here to help! Check out a free trial of our motivating program today, or get in touch with your questions.

Highlighted Posts

By Anne Hauth September 23, 2025
Reading fluency is a crucial skill that bridges the gap between decoding words and understanding their meaning. One effective strategy to build fluency is repeated reading —a technique where a student reads the same text multiple times until they achieve a level of fluency that feels natural and confident. What Is Repeated Reading? Repeated reading involves selecting a short passage at an appropriate reading level--ideally at or slightly above the student's instructional level. The student reads this passage several times, focusing on improving speed, accuracy, and expression with each reading. This practice allows for mastery of the text, leading to fluent and confident reading. Fluent reading should sound like conversational speaking--natural and expressive. Why Does It Work? Research shows* that repeated reading can lead to significant improvements in reading performance. The benefits include: Improved Word Recognition : By encountering the same words repeatedly, students become more familiar with them, leading to quicker and more accurate recognition. When these words become automatic, the students no longer need to put effort into decoding them. Increased Reading Fluency : Reading the same passage multiple times allows students to build fluency--each time reading it more smoothly and with greater expression. Enhanced Comprehension : As fluency improves, students can focus more on understanding the text, leading to better comprehension. This improvement in comprehension extends to unpracticed passages as well. Increased Confidence : Repeated reading is a form of mastery learning. Many beginning or struggling readers don't often get the opportunity to hear themselves sounding like fluent readers. After reading a passage multiple times, they've mastered it--and they sound great! This is a huge confidence boost that motivates them to keep reading. Repeated Reading at Home Incorporating the repeated reading strategy into your child's home reading routine doesn't have to be complicated or boring. In fact, many kids already do it! You've probably noticed that they often want to read the same book over and over. Don't discourage this--as long as they haven't totally memorized the entire text, they're building skills each time they read it. To work on repeated reading with your child at home, here's a simple strategy: Use an Appropriate Passage : Have your child choose a new short text that is slightly challenging but still within their level. Listen to Your Child Read : Have your child read the passage aloud to you. Note any words that are difficult for them to decode. Read Aloud Together : Read the passage aloud with your child, modeling fluent reading. Do this one to three times. Identify the difficult words together, and provide definitions. Independent Practice : Encourage your child to read the passage independently a few more times, focusing on improving their expression with each reading. Celebrate Progress : Affirm how much your child improved from the first reading to the final reading. Acknowledge their hard work and progress to build confidence and motivation. Additional Tips Keep Sessions Short : Aim for 10- to 15-minute sessions at first, to maintain focus and prevent frustration. Consider Using a Timer : If your child is open to the idea, set a timer each time they read the passage. Note their improvement in time, and celebrate their fluency growth. Make the timing element a fun challenge, but emphasize that this exercise isn't about speed reading--it's about building fluency. Repeated reading is a powerful strategy that can significantly enhance your child's reading ability. If you're looking for an easy-to-use program that incorporates this research-proven strategy, check out One Minute Reader . This program uses repeated reading and gamified learning to help kids at various reading levels build fluency, vocabulary, comprehension, and confidence. * Dowhower, S. L. (1987). Effects of repeated reading on second-grade transitional readers’ fluency and comprehension. Reading Research Quarterly , 22(4), 389–405. Kuhn, M. R., & Stahl, S. A. (2003). Fluency: A review of developmental and remedial practices. Journal of Educational Psychology , 95(1), 3–21. LaBerge, D., & Samuels, S. J. (1974). Toward a theory of automatic information processing in reading. Cognitive Psychology , 6(2), 292–323.
Back-to-School Reading Routines That Stick
By Anne Hauth September 23, 2025
Simple back-to-school reading routines that help kids build strong literacy skills, improve homework success, and develop lifelong reading habits. Get practical tips for creating a daily reading schedule, cozy reading spaces, and fun ways to make reading stick at home.
A young girl is sitting at a desk holding a sign that says help.
By Anne Hauth June 5, 2025
Is your child struggling with reading? Learn 15 key signs to watch for, from avoiding reading to spelling mistakes. Early detection is crucial for providing the right support.
Show More

Ready to see an improvement in your child's reading?

Sign up today and get seven days for FREE.

Sign up now!

One Minute Reader is just $8 per month after your free trial.