How to Motivate My Child to Read: The Secrets I Use With My Students

Parents ask me all the time, “How do I motivate my child to read?” If your child avoids books, says they hate reading, loses focus quickly, or struggles to understand what they’ve read, you are not alone.

Not everyone is born with a natural love for reading. Some kids find reading difficult, some find it boring, and some find it hard to focus. Today, I love to read and I hope I’m passing that love on to my own kids—but I still remember exactly what it felt like to struggle.

When I was a child, I read very slowly. I likely had decoding challenges, and because so much of my brainpower was spent trying to sound out each word correctly, my comprehension suffered. My parents, teachers, and tutors had to get super creative to figure out how to motivate me to read.

Now, as a trained Orton-Gillingham reading interventionist, former 3rd–5th grade teacher, and online reading tutor, I draw on both my personal story and my professional background to help reluctant and struggling readers feel confident and capable.

How to Motivate My Child to Read: The Most Effective Strategies

If you’ve wondered how to motivate my child to read, these are the five most effective, research-backed strategies I use every day with students.

1. Hook Your Child With a Book Series They Can't Put Down

One of the easiest ways to motivate a reluctant reader is to get them invested in a great book series. Series work because kids fall in love with the characters and want to know what happens next.

Some of my favorite series for reluctant readers include:

• Harry Potter

• Percy Jackson

• Diary of a Wimpy Kid

• Eerie Elementary

• Mercy Watson

• Dog Man or other graphic novel series

• Magic Tree House

• Junie B. Jones

• Amelia Bedelia

• A to Z Mysteries

According to the National Library of New Zealand, when students find a book they love, especially in a series, they’re far more likely to become regular readers.

A great tip: Read the first book aloud to them. Once they’re hooked, hand them the next book to read independently. If they still need support, alternate pages or chapters.

If you're wondering how to motivate my child to read without pressure, this is one of the simplest ways to spark interest naturally.

2. Use Audiobooks to Build Confidence (Not “Cheat”)

Parents often ask, “How do I motivate my child to read when they read so slowly?” One of the best tools is audiobooks.

Audiobooks help kids:

• Enjoy the story without decoding frustration

• Hear fluent reading modeled for them

• Build comprehension

• Gain confidence

  
  

For maximum benefit, have your child listen while following along in the printed book, tracking with their finger. This builds decoding skills while letting them actually enjoy the story.

Audiobooks count as real reading—and for many struggling readers, they are a lifeline. For more information on the benefits of audiobooks, check out this blog post.

3. Choose Books Based on Their Interests, Not Just Their Reading Level

If your child says they “hate reading,” the real issue might be that the books feel irrelevant.

Whenever parents ask me how to motivate my child to read, one of my first questions is: “What is your child obsessed with right now?”

Use that.

Find books about:

• Holidays (Halloween, Christmas, Hanukkah)

• Dinosaurs

• Minecraft

• Animals

• Sports

• Art, space, or science

• Legos

• Baking or cooking

  
  

When kids care about the topic, they read more willingly and understand more easily.

4. Pair Reading With Someone Special to Make It Fun

Reading doesn’t have to be a solo activity. Kids are more motivated when reading feels social and special.

Try letting them read with:

• A grandparent on FaceTime

• An aunt or uncle on Zoom

• A favorite cousin

• A neighbor or family friend

• A pet (yes, really!)

• A stuffed animal

  
  

You can also start a small virtual or in person book club with friends. This makes reading feel exciting—and gives your child someone to talk about the book with.

If you’ve been asking yourself how to motivate my child to read when they refuse to read with me, changing the reading partner can make a huge difference.

5. Take the Pressure Off (This Is Where the Magic Happens)

Many reluctant readers are dealing with more pressure than parents realize.

Correcting every mistake, forcing certain books, or turning reading into a “test” can make kids shut down.

Instead:

• Allow choice—ANY book counts (yes, even Pokémon guides!)

• Avoid overcorrecting

• Read the book before or after watching the movie

• Celebrate effort, not accuracy

• Keep reading time short and positive

  
  

One of the best tools I use with students is the Restate Strategy:

After each paragraph, ask your child to quickly restate what they read in their own words. This prevents passive reading and builds comprehension.

Removing pressure is often the turning point for families wondering how to motivate my child to read without arguments or stress.

Final Thoughts

Motivating a reluctant reader doesn’t happen overnight, and that’s okay. Every child’s reading journey looks different, and progress often comes from small, consistent wins.

With the right tools, a supportive environment, and strategies that meet your child where they are, reading can become something they enjoy—not something they avoid.

You’re already taking a powerful step by learning how to motivate your child to read, and I’m cheering you on every step of the way.

If you’re ready for personalized support, I’d love to help your child feel confident and excited about reading. I work with reluctant, slow, and struggling readers online using proven, student-centered strategies.

Click here to schedule a free consultation and see if reading tutoring is the right fit for your child.

Free Discovery Call

20

Book Now

About the Author

Alexa Imwalle is an online reading interventionist and former 3rd–5th grade teacher with specialized training in the Orton-Gillingham approach. After struggling with slow and difficult reading as a child, Alexa became passionate about helping students who feel discouraged, overwhelmed, or unmotivated by reading.

She spent five years in the classroom before transitioning to online tutoring, where she helps reluctant and struggling readers build decoding skills, fluency, comprehension, and confidence. Alexa teaches practical strategies like restating, decoding tools, and structured routines to help students truly understand what they read—not just sound out words.

She was a featured speaker at the 2023 Homeschool Mom Summit and a guest on the Online Tutor Business Podcast with Joanne Kaminski. Today, Alexa works with students virtually across the country, helping them develop strong reading skills and a lifelong love of stories.