The Five Best Reading Games for Kids

1 - What's Going to Happen Next?

Kids have unbelievable imaginations and you'll never know what they'll come up with. One way to use their imaginations to push them to read more is to find a children's book and read it with them. After reading a few pages, close the book and ask them what they think is going to happen next. Make the questions fun and draw on their imaginations by asking them follow-up questions based on their answers.

2 - What's Going on in the News?

A good way to help kids with reading and becoming informed with what's happening in the world around them is to pull out a newspaper and look for an interesting article. For example, flip open the front cover of the travel section and see if any of the destinations pique their interest. Or you can try the front page and see what they think about a current issue. The benefit of these articles is two-fold:

1. They might help kids add to their vocabulary, and
2. You might find that kids become drawn to a particular issue and actually begin reading more on their own!

3 - What's Your Favorite Magazine?

While newspapers tend to be more formal, parents with kids who have trouble focusing might try short magazine articles in a subject that their children are already interested in. These articles can provide a segue for kids to begin enjoying reading rather than seeing it as a chore. Again, once kids are done reading, ask them open-ended questions regarding their thoughts about the article.

4 - A Fun History Lesson?

History: It can be boring, but if you make it come alive, kids might enjoy history enough to develop an interest in reading it on their own. See if you can find an exciting piece of history, such as the French Revolution or the technology boom, and liven it up. The key is to use effects and really make it fun.

For European History buffs, considering dress up as Napoleon and explain to your child why you wanted to defeat the English. Business-minded parents might consider explaining how computers make their jobs so much easier. Then ask your child to find something they are interested in, do some research on the subject and present it. Kid-friendly ideas could include how Jackie Robinson changed professional sports or the etymology behind the word 'herculean'. Whatever it is, allow them to be creative, then sit back and enjoy the show!

5 - Learn Something New

Most of us have potential interests that we just never get around to doing. Maybe you've wanted to develop part of your yard into a small vegetable garden or reorganize the garage, building shelves where needed. Whatever it is, working on a new project with your kids can be a fun learning experience.

But where is the reading? Well, odds are you don't have too much knowledge about what you're about to do, or else you'd already be doing it, right? So take the opportunity to research it a bit with your child. Together, you can read about the best vegetables to grow or how to build a shelf. Allow your child to take the lead, maybe reading aloud the directions or the necessary equipment. And you never know, what was once on your list of possible interests might become a new hobby for both of you.