Pick a Spot! Make sure the space you choose is comfortable and well-lit. It also helps to make sure your child's reading materials are nearby and accessible. A bookcase, or shelf on one of your bookcases works well. A plastic storage tub filled with books and magazines is also a great container. Make sure your child's reading materials are readily accessible. Taking the time to create a special spot for the reading activity and their reading materials elevates its importance. Children will see that you value reading and this will speak volumes, especially if you choose to read for your own enjoyment in the "special spot."   Make Time for Reading! Today, many families seem to struggle with their schedules. Between baseball and soccer, Girl Scouts and Day Camp, there seems to be little time for sleeping, much less reading. Therefore, if reading with your children is a priority, then time must be set aside on a regular basis. Children should see that reading is as important to your family as eating a meal together or enjoying a favorite television show. Read something aloud after dinner and then discuss it. Set a regular bedtime and build in 15 minutes for reading. Chances are that you can fit reading into your busy schedule…and thoroughly enjoy the time you spend with your children.   Read Aloud! I don't know many children who don't enjoy being read to. It is a fun activity for children of all ages, and a great way to spend special time with your child. It is also one of the best ways to motivate even the most reluctant reader. You can buddy-read where you take turns reading a paragraph or a page. Make sure you leave ample time for asking and answering questions. Also it's fun for children to predict what is going to happen, and then as the story advances, to see if they were correct. It's also important to talk about how the characters are feeling or why they may have behaved as they did. Many times if a child is having a problem, finding a book that contains a problem is a great spring board for discussion. Don't hesitate to select books over your child's reading level. Children can handle the higher vocabulary and sentence structure when the material is being read aloud. With you as a guide it's also a terrific way to expose them to new words and more complex ideas.     Work Within Their Interests   One of the easiest ways to get children involved in reading is to select a topic that is of special interest to them. If children are involved in sports or have a special hobby, that might be a great place to start selecting books. Reading books that have locations that you have visited or plan to visit will also have an appeal. Look for genres that children seem eager to explore. Do they love mysteries or science fiction? Are they fascinated with animals or gardens? If your child is young, which books do they ask you to read over and over again? Look for more like them! Ask your local librarian for suggestions on fictional books that deal with specific topics of interest to your child. Don't forget about non-fiction. If your child loves stamp collecting or inline skating, pick up books on those topics. Don't be afraid to read them together. There isn't any law that says only story books can be read aloud.   Explore Different Genres!   Sometimes children get stuck in one genre. If children enjoy mysteries, they sometimes will read nothing else. Working together offers a great way for a parent or teacher to explore different genres in literature. Adventure books are always a hit as are mysteries! Poetry, science fiction, historical fiction, animal stories, etc., all allow your child exposure not only to varied subject matter, but different writing styles as well!   Include Fun Activities If you want to spice up a few activities, how about trying audio books? Stories offer up many different settings and often times the author uses very specific places. How about a field trip to a location your child has recently read about? Reading charts logging the number of books a child has read is sometimes a great incentive and the chart becomes a showplace for family and friends. Reading coupons can also be great motivators. Coupons can be redeemed for the purchase of new books.   Some other great places to explore are second-hand stores, used book stores and garage sales. Many terrific treasures can be found, and all three are a very inexpensive way to build a child's library, as well as your own.   Become a Role Model for Reading Reading is one of the most important and impressionable activities that parents can do in front of their children. If a child sees how much you enjoy and value reading, they are much more likely to become interested in books. To set a good example, read every day, with your child and to yourself. Keep reading materials handy. Make it possible to read any time, anywhere. Bring books everywhere…. to grandma's house, to the doctor, on vacation. Take them anywhere you might expect to be waiting for awhile. Compare the style of one author with another author….discuss the illustrations. Become a frequent visitor at the library.   Giving the love of reading… the love of literature… is one of the greatest gifts a parent or a teacher can give to a child. The ability to read and comprehend is often one of the deciding factors for success in the workplace. When you motivate your child to read, you also motivate them to learn. Success in their educational experience is very dependent on the self-motivation of the student. Being a willing and enthusiastic reader and learner will serve a child well all through their life.