7 Strategies To Get Your Game to Read More

Is your child sitting in front of a video or computer game right now? Does it seem impossible to get him or her to read a book instead? The fast-paced nature of video games and their steady stream of built-in rewards stimulate developing brains in ways that books can't. A game might dole out a gold coin or a surprise bonus every few minutes (or seconds), whereas it might take many pages for a book to build up to a big reveal or plot twist.

That doesn't mean kids who play video games can't also enjoy reading. Here are 7 great strategies for getting your gamer kid to read more!

1. Cater to your child's interests. Books that contain action and adventure akin to video games are good choices for gamers. Don't be afraid to ask your librarian for recommendations!

2. Embrace all forms of reading. Literacy experts say kids can benefit from reading below their grade level or selecting books that are shorter or aren't divided into grown-up-style chapters.

3. Make it fun. Creating new spaces to read and making reading time feel special can help kids look forward to books.

4. Gamify reading. You can reward kids who "level up" in reading by setting goals for how many pages or chapters to read in a week.

5. Mix it up. Literacy experts encourage kids to reinforce what they've read by incorporating other activities into their summer reading, like writing and illustrating their own stories, making a book-inspired comic strip, or drawing pictures of their favorite scenes from a book.

6. Read out loud. Even if your kids are old enough to read on their own, literacy experts agree that they're never too old to be read to.

7. Create a book club. Talking to your kids about a book can enhance their comprehension. If the kids in your home are at similar reading levels, you can create a family book club where you all take turns reading (younger children can listen, too) and discuss it.

See the full article for more ideas - Credit: Wall Street Journal

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