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Most children who say they hate reading are finding it hard. When the words are too hard, reading feels like failing, so a child avoids it. Find the step that is hard, practice only words your child can read, keep it short, and keep reading good books aloud to your child. When reading starts to work, it usually stops feeling so bad.
A child who reads easily rarely says they hate it. A child who stumbles on most words works very hard for very little. Saying no is a way to avoid feeling stuck.
So the first question is not how to make reading fun. It is which part of reading is hard right now.
Reading is built in steps: hearing sounds, letter sounds, joining sounds into words, then longer words and smooth reading. A child who is stuck on one step finds everything after it hard.
Our free 2-minute finder helps you see which step is hard. Then you practice there, with words your child can really read.
Use words and sentences your child can read with the sounds they know. Start each day with something easy. Stop after a few minutes, while it is still going well.
Let your child read to you, then you read a page back. Take turns. Nobody should have to read a whole book alone while it still feels hard.
Read to your child every day, books they choose, even ones far above their reading level. This keeps stories, new words and the good side of books in their life while their own reading catches up.
If your child still refuses after weeks of short, easy practice, or seems upset by reading, talk to the teacher.
Practice this in the free reading appReading games your child can play on a phone, tablet or computer. Every word can be sounded out. No sign-up.Open the app
Ask what is hard, not why they will not read.
Practice only words your child can sound out.
Keep practice to a few minutes, and stop on a good moment.
Take turns reading pages.
Read aloud to your child every day, any book they love.
Listen and Say the WordYou say the sounds slowly, your child says the whole word. No letters to look at, so it trains the ear first.Play free
Build the WordYour child hears a word and taps the letter tiles in the right order to build it.Play free
Read the WordOne short word at a time, such as sat, pin or dog. Every word uses only the sounds of the level you choose.Play freeShort a words worksheets, CVC word family practice.
Get the free pages FREE
CVC cut and paste worksheets for beginning, middle and ending sounds.
Get the free pages $3
All 5 read and match level worksheet packs in one download.
See inside $3
All 7 letter sounds level worksheet packs in one download.
See insideKeep it, but make it short and easy. Five minutes with words your child can read is better than a long fight. Read aloud to your child too.
A sticker or a tick on a chart can help a child start. What helps most is reading that works, with words that are not too hard.
If reading stays very hard after weeks of short, easy practice, or your child is upset by it, talk to the teacher and ask what the school's reading checks show.
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