Read to Your Children

• Even if your child cannot read yet, reading aloud to her is an excellent habit to start early. For at least 10 minutes a day, read something that you enjoy. Your child can sense your enthusiasm or boredom, so she will form an opinion about reading based on your attitude and behavior.
  
  

Have Fun

• When reading, have fun. Use separate voices for different characters or let your children make up a story about how a character came to have a certain habit or trait. Avoid chastising your child for not "paying attention," but find a way to get her attention during the reading process. Change the volume, tone or speed of your voice, for example.
  
  

Use Available Resources

• Your local library probably offers story time and has a variety of books for your children to choose. Let your child get his own library card and carry it with him. Find out what books are being read in your child's school and re-read these to your child or take an interest in the titles and discuss with your child. Go to book fairs or used book stores as a weekend activity. Donate your child's least favorite books to charities or read aloud to someone less fortunate with your child present.
  
  

Practice Reading in Every Day Situations

• Like riding a bike, you can talk about how to do it, but actually riding the bike is the best way to learn. It does not matter what your child reads. Have her sound out words on signs while you are driving in the car. Look at magazines in doctor's offices and help her to figure out words that go along with the pictures. Point out words on packages in the grocery store. Practicing reading does not necessarily mean sitting down and reading a book. It does, however, mean encouraging your child to have control over her environment by learning how to read.
  
  

Reward Children for Reading

• Keep track of when and how much your child is reading with a fun tracking sheet or poster. Every time your child reads, let her color in the day on the tracking sheet. Praise your children for sounding out words or figuring out words from pictures. Let your child tell a story and write it down so you can read it together later.
  
  

Improve Your Own Reading Skills

• Read more books, magazines and newspapers in the house so your child identifies reading as a normal activity. Improve your vocabulary by learning a new word in the dictionary. This can pique your child's curiosity and encourage her to learn new words.
  
  

Use Tools

• Have your child read into a voice recorder and play it back before bedtime. Record yourself reading stories for your child while you are away or too busy with other daily tasks. Start a journal of your child's favorite words and help him write them down. Read together and have your child pick a favorite stuffed animal to listen to story time. Use puppets or other toys to act out characters or add to the plot of the story.
  
  

Encourage Other People in the Family to Help

• When grandma and grandpa come over, have a special story picked out that they can read to your child. Ask for books as birthday and holiday gifts. Take turns reading with your spouse or other household members so your children know that you are not the only one interested in reading.
  
  

Limit Television Time

• Too much television does not encourage reading but discourages it. Instead, read stories with television characters like Elmo or Mickey Mouse so your children are interested and can relate to the story.
  
  

Continue the Reading Habit

• Keep reading to your children. They may say they dislike it, but the reality is that it provides one-on-one time and can encourage discussion about difficult topics or things going on in school and life.