5 Simple Tips to Keep Kids Reading over the Holidays

5 Simple Tips to Keep Boys Reading Over the Holidays

September 18, 2024

Everyone knows that reading is important, but when your kids tell you, “But I find reading boring” or “I don’t like it” then we have to work a little harder to get them to explore the world of reading. Literacy and language span a HUGE list of skills and categories so that’s why stopping reading for an extended time can mean a backward step for many boys. Let’s look at 5 Simple Ways you can keep up the reading habit over the break.

5 to 8 year olds

1. Build a reading cubby/fort

Boys love building. Using blankets, pillows and pegs, get your son to build a cubby. Don’t forget a torch – this adds to the reading fun!

2. Library

Apart from borrowing books, the library often holds storytelling sessions, craft days, competitions or thematic events. (Hint: Prior to the holidays, jump online and order books. This means that you’ll have a bundle of books ready to read by the holidays.)

3. Be creative

Cover the written text of a storybook with sticky notes. Ask your son to make up the story just by looking at the picture/s. This also removes the ‘anxiety’ of reading/forming words. To aid comprehension, cover only certain words. This way your son has to refer to the surrounding text and the picture to work out the missing word/words.

4. Fun in the kitchen

a) Simple recipes, like pancakes, provide your son with some ‘hands on’ reading and learning how to follow a series of steps. Home made slime is a hit too!

b) Let them pretend that the kitchen is a café where they can order from a ‘menu’ that they have written (e.g. milkshakes, biscuits, fruit, crackers etc).

5. Ebooks

Allow ebooks to be part of the reading picture. Their usefulness can lie in the pronunciation of difficult words, appealing visual pictures and portability (you can store 100s of books on a tablet). See here for more reasons to consider ebooks. Perhaps consider Oxford Owl, which has a nice variety of books, both fiction and non-fiction, for children aged 4 – 11 years. Costs nothing to join. The books with an ‘e’ are free books and can be narrated. Peruse the site and you’ll discover a lot of boy-friendly texts (& activities that go with them) that I think your son will enjoy.

9+ year olds

It’s hard to compete with an X-box, a Play Station and phones! Electronics can be a huge pull for this age group of boys but it’s important to show them the value of reading. Here are some ideas to help parents:

1. Book bag

Fill a bag (a sports bag is perfect) with a variety of books and magazines. Remember it’s the amount of reading that matters, not the difficulty level.

2. Merge movies with books

I’ve found this technique really helpful as a bargaining tool for reading. A promise of watching the film, complete with popcorn, is a great reward. Here is a list of great boy-orientated books that have been made into films:

Tomorrow when the War Began by John Marsden (Seven high school friends go camping for a week. When they return they discover that their community has been overtaken by a foreign power. This is an adrenalin-charged book about a group who fight for their family, friends and their lives. A highly recommended book for older readers. A classic!)

Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children by Ransom Riggs (When 15 year old Jacob was young, his grandfather told him that he had lived in a special orphanage for peculiar children. Jacob doubts these stories until he witnesses something very strange. Suggested for older readers)

Stormbreaker by Anthony Horowitz (A spy thriller featuring 14-year-old Alex Rider who finds out that his uncle has died mysteriously. He discovers that his uncle wasn’t a VP banker but a spy for the British government. A great series for boys who enjoy fast-paced action.)

3. Ebooks and audio books

As mentioned above, don’t dismiss the value of ebooks. Audio books are also valuable – many are read by actors, authors and celebrities. I like this version of reading for biographies of famous people and sports stars. Have a look at:

The Keeper: The Unguarded Story of Tim Howard (Young Readers’ Edition) Tim Howard is an American soccer player who can boast about being one of the world’s best goalkeepers. In this uplifting memoir (now adapted for young readers) Howard shares his remarkable journey from a challenging childhood in which he was raised by a single mother who instilled in him a love of sports and a devout Christian faith that helped him deal with the onset of Tourette’s in fifth grade.

4. Magazines

Magazines offer fun and fact-packed information that is often appealing to boys. Want your son to read regularly? Keep them supplied with regular issues – and who doesn’t love receiving something in the mail? Or select the online version. (Subscriptions are a great gift idea for the older reader.) Here are a few suggestions:

National Geographic for Kids

Double Helix CSIRO’s science magazine for kids.

Wacky but True Short, informative articles on history, archaeology and nature educate the kids without them realising it.

Just Kidding Designed for kids aged between 7 – 12 years, this magazine features information on the latest movies, games, sports, music, competitions and travel.

Crikey A conservation-focused, fun magazine for all ages featuring Australia Zoo updates, animal profiles and exclusive editorials by Terri, Bindi and Robert Irwin.

Historicool This is Australia’s only magazine that engages and entertains kids with stories from the past in a fun way. Aimed for students in grades 3-8. Articles written by real kids are included, which could be an inspiration for your son to write.

5. Put a Prize on the Cards

Why not make reading a competition? There are 3 months until Christmas – can they read 1 or 2 books a month until the end of the year? Negotiate a prize – this might be the clinch that gets the pre-teen/teen boy’s head out of his cave and into a book!

** Plus don’t forget the range of magazines covering 4WD, fishing, rugby league, rugby union, cricket, cars etc.