Multimedia Bedtime Stories: How to get kids interested in reading

Getting your kids interested in reading can be difficult with all the distractions of modern life. If your son or daughter seems to be more interested in playing the latest game on their iPads or watching their favourite films and TV shows, parents can channel this interest in technology to capture kids’ attention in reading everything from The Very Hungry Caterpillar to The Hobbit.

Here are five simple activities with kids you can try across multiple print and digital platforms to help get them interested in reading:

1. Load up your family's iPad or tablet with children’s interactive apps, which are easily available from sites such as nosycrow.com/apps. Nosy Crow specialise in combining stories with illustrations, animations and music to increase children’s interactivity, and are suitable for ages 0-14. Instead of leaving your kids alone with the iPad, as you might do when they’re playing a familiar game, show your child how to engage with the app by reading aloud with them, following the text with your finger and ask your son or daughter questions about what they’re seeing.

2. Encourage reading by dedicating at least 10-15 minutes every night to story-time before your kids go to bed. For toddlers and young children with limited attention spans, choose board books or pop-up books with features like pull-outs, touch-and-feel pages or audio buttons to encourage little ones to get involved. You can also make bedtime reading special by decorating a shoe box with colourful ribbon or stickers and placing it beside their bed. Ideas like this can encourage younger children to get more excited about reading, and should help to foster good reading habits when they grow up.

3. Use websites such as storynory.com to download free audio books your kids can listen to. While the voice actors will keep kids engaged, audio books also help develop their attention and imagination. They’re a great way of keeping kids entertained during long car journeys, whilst the audio aspect develops their listening skills. This is particularly useful for developing early literacy, as children learn sounds before they learn the letters that represent those sounds.

4. Pay attention to what your child is interested in and encourage them to pursue reading based on those topics. Do a little research or consult your son or daughter's school teacher to make sure that their reading is age-appropriate so that their reading improves at a pace they are comfortable with. Make their reading interactive by asking your child's opinions on books and stories, and when your dinosaur-loving child has finished being absorbed in their book about tyrannosaurs, encourage them to share their reading adventures with you.

5. Children learn by example; and seeing their parents read will encourage your child to do the same. Have plenty of books around the house, and reward children with words of encouragement when they struggle with difficult phrases. Having a dedicated reading time every day and creating a comfortable, well-lit reading spot can soon turn reading into a part of their daily routine.