How to Make Reading Fun For Your Teenager

Are you a working mom who homeschools and wondering how to make reading fun for your teenager?

Nowadays, it’s common to see teenagers glued to their video games, cell phones, tablets, or computers. As a mother of two and a self-proclaimed bookworm, I’ve wondered if this could affect my child’s love for reading.

As a homeschooling mom, I know firsthand how important it is to foster a love of reading in our children. Reading not only improves their vocabulary and comprehension skills but also expands their imagination and creativity.

However, it can be challenging to encourage our teens to read when they have so many distractions vying for their attention. That’s why I’ve compiled this list of strategies to help you learn how to make reading fun for your teenager and cultivate a lifelong love of books.

How To Make Reading Fun For Your Teenager

Reading is an essential skill that every teenager needs to master.

However, getting your teenager excited about reading can be a challenge, especially when they have so many other distractions. Thankfully, there are several strategies you can use to make reading more enjoyable for your teen.

I’ll share five practical tips that have helped my own teens develop a love of reading. By implementing these tips, you can help your teen become a more confident and enthusiastic reader.

1. Don’t Use Reading as a Punishment

As a busy and stressed-out mom, it’s understandable to use whatever works to discipline your teen. However, using reading as a form of punishment may backfire and discourage them from enjoying reading.

Instead, set aside dedicated reading time for your teen. Allow them to choose books that interest them and create a comfortable and inviting reading environment. This will help them associate reading with relaxation and pleasure rather than punishment.

By doing so, you’ll encourage your teen to see reading as an enjoyable activity rather than a chore.

2. Provide Opportunities for Them to Read

One of the best ways to encourage your teen to read is by providing them with ample opportunities to do so. Set aside dedicated “reading time” for your teen, and create a quiet and comfortable space for them to lounge and read. My kids love using camping chairs or bean bag chairs for this purpose.

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Consider allowing your teen to listen to music while they read, provided it doesn’t distract them. You can also use this time to catch up on your own reading or enjoy a cup of coffee in peace. By making reading a positive and enjoyable experience, you’ll help your teen develop a love of reading that will last a lifetime.

3. Let Them Have a Say in What They Read

Allowing your teen to have a say in what they read is an effective way to increase their interest in reading. Teens, in particular, like to feel that they have some control over their reading choices. You can use this to your advantage by providing them with reasonable guidelines and allowing them to choose what they want to read.

For example, if you’re homeschooling your teen, you can provide a list of books that relate to the subjects they’re studying. Allow them to choose which books they want to read from the list. (You can see an example of this with our American Authors Books List) This approach gives them a sense of autonomy while still ensuring that they’re reading books that align with your curriculum.

Remember, the more your teen enjoys what they’re reading, the more likely they are to continue reading and developing their skills. By giving them some control over their reading choices, you’ll help foster a sense of independence and confidence in their reading abilities.

4. Turn Books into New Learning Opportunities

Books offer endless opportunities for learning, and you can encourage your teen to explore different subjects by reading books that interest them. If your teen shows an interest in a particular subject, allow them to dive deeper into it through books.

For example, if your teen is interested in astronomy, provide them with books about space and planets. If they’re interested in history, give them books about different time periods or biographies of historical figures. Encourage your teen to try different types of books, such as poetry, biographies, and more.

Reading books can also inspire your teen to try new things. For example, a book about cooking may inspire them to try a new recipe or a book about rock climbing may motivate them to try a new sport. By turning books into new learning opportunities, you can help your teen expand their knowledge and interests while still making reading fun.

5. Don’t Make Book Reports a Chore

It’s important to avoid making book reports a chore for your teen. While book reports can be a great way to encourage reading comprehension and writing skills, they can also be tedious and tiresome.

For example, requiring your teen to do a full book report with references, proper quotes, footnotes, and cover pages can take the fun out of reading. While your teen may learn a lot about writing and reading comprehension, they may also end up hating the book and not reading for a long time. This was my personal experience, my oldest hated reading when this type of book report was needed.

I learned how to make reading fun by skipping the full book report and considering other ways to encourage reading comprehension and writing skills. Remember, the curriculum is a tool to help you but you are the boss, you can choose to skip full book reports as well.

Instead, you could have your teen write a short summary or review of the book, create a visual representation of the story, or even act out a scene from the book. These activities can still help your teen engage with the book without making it feel like a chore.

Alternative Approaches to Book Reports

Many homeschooling parents require their children to do book reports as a way of assessing their reading comprehension. However, this approach can often take the fun out of reading for children but coming up with ideas for alternatives can be tough.

In this section, I wanted to help you out and save you time by sharing alternative approaches to book reports that can help keep the joy of reading alive for your teen.

Vocabulary Lists and Personalized Dictionaries

Instead of requiring children to write a formal book report, have them make a vocabulary list of words they don’t know and include it in their language arts binder. This can help expand their vocabulary and make reading a more enjoyable experience.

Discussions and Explorations

You can also encourage your children to discuss the events of a book in their own words to ensure they understand the story. Additionally, if a book sparks an interest in a particular topic, help your children explore that topic further and learn more about it.

Reading Logs

You can have your children keep track of the books they read by maintaining a reading log. This log can include the date the book was read, the author, and any other relevant information. Using a reading log will also help when it comes time to create your homeschool year end reports.

Using Notebooking Pages

Notebooking Pages is a great resource for homeschoolers. They offer a literature study and book report pack that includes a variety of helpful tools. While it was designed to be used in a specific way, you can use the individual pages as printable worksheets.

Here are some of the features of the Literature Study & Book Report pack:

• Reading List pages
• Reading Log pages
• Cover Art pages
• Background Information pages (About author & historical context)
• Chapter Summary pages (including copy work, literary elements, etc.)
• Book Report Style pages
• Book Summary pages (including setting, plot, characters, conflict, theme, etc.)
• Character Study pages (including character list, map, traits, sketch, quotes, etc.)
• Setting pages
• Plot pages
• Theme pages

You can use the Cover Art pages to keep your children engaged while reading aloud. Children can design a cover for the book as the parent reads aloud. This can be a fun and creative way to keep children engaged and interested in the story.

Reading Resources For Busy Moms:

When you are learning how to make reading fun, these resources can help:

• Raise A Reader When You Hate Reading
• How To Raise Great Readers
• Hate Reading Aloud?

You Can Make Reading Fun

Figuring out how to make reading fun for your teenager and fostering a love for reading in your children is an important part of their education.

By providing opportunities for them to read, letting them have a say in what they read, turning books into new learning opportunities, avoiding overwhelming book reports, and utilizing resources like literature studies and book reports, you can help your children discover the joys of reading.

Remember, the goal is not just to get children to read, but to cultivate a passion for it. Relax, be flexible, and have fun!

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