Reading at Home Tips for Parents:       Stop Telling Kids to ‘Go Read’—Try This Game-Changing Trick Instead

We all know kids should be reading at home...
But let’s be real—telling them to “go read” isn’t always working.
Books get tossed aside. Eyes roll. Interest? Minimal.
If that’s been the vibe in your house, don’t worry—you’re not alone.
Here’s one of my favorite reading-at-home tips for parents that changed everything in our house (and takes just 15 minutes!).

Why Telling Kids to “Go Read” Isn’t Enough

For many kids, especially in elementary and upper elementary grades, reading can feel like homework—even if it’s supposed to be fun.

When we send them off to read alone, they don’t always connect with the story, or they just skim through to "get it done."
They might even skip words they don’t know without asking for help.

But here’s the thing—kids thrive on connection.
And when reading becomes something they do with you instead of for you, the whole experience changes.

A Simple 15-Minute Reading Trick That Works

Try this:

👉 Sit down with your child and open the book together.
👉 You read one page, they read the next.
👉 Do this for just 15 minutes, a few times a week.

That’s it.

It’s not a huge time commitment, but it feels special to them.

They get your attention, you model fluent reading, and they feel supported, not tested.

And yes—after just a few days, my kids started asking, “Can we read a little more tonight?”

What Makes This Method So Effective?

This simple shared reading routine works because it’s doing more than just practicing reading—it’s creating connection and confidence.

Here’s what I noticed:

✅ More expression in their reading
✅ Better understanding of what they read
✅ More willingness to stop and ask about unfamiliar words
✅ Higher engagement—they actually looked forward to it!

And here's the best part:
Even on nights when we didn’t read together, they still picked up their books on their own.

They became more aware of words they didn’t know and were more likely to ask for help, something they didn’t do before.

Reading at Home Tips for Parents: FAQs

What kind of books should we use?
Let your child choose! The key is to pick books that are at their level or slightly challenging. The goal is engagement, not perfection.

Do we have to do this every night?
Nope. In fact, spacing it out 3–4 times a week gives them something to look forward to. It also helps them build independence on the “off” days.

What if I have more than one child?
Try rotating reading nights or having short one-on-one time with each child. Everyone of mine loved the attention, no matter their reading level.

What if we’re super busy?
Even 10–15 minutes after dinner or before bed makes a difference. It’s about consistency, not perfection.

Final Thoughts

Reading at home doesn’t have to feel like a battle.
This small, consistent routine helped my kids read better, enjoy books more, and even build stronger vocabulary—and it gave us some truly sweet moments together.

If you’ve been looking for reading at home tips for parents that actually make a difference, this is the one to try next.