Blogging A to Z: Inherent Boredom

One of the top reasons I hear at the library as to why a kid doesn’t want to read? “It’s booooorrrrrrriiiiiiiinnnnnnnngggggggg.” And of course, they drag out the word for as long as they can! But, books don’t have to be boring! I would argue that many of the kids who use this reason for not picking up books for fun are used to the books they’re required to read in school – not all of which are exciting or fun to read.

Today I’m going to share with you a few ways to get kids to see that reading isn’t always boring, in fact, it can be a lot of fun! But first, let’s talk about why books can be perceived as boring.

1. Books take work. Books require readers to use their imaginations to create the world of the story. Video games and movies build that world for you. But when you read, you need to actively create that world.
2. As I mentioned previously, books that were published 50+ years ago that are part of the school curriculum are actually boring. Not always, but when it comes to reluctant readers, these books aren’t typically going to hook them.
3. Kids might not have figured out what they like in terms of reading. If you’re only being given realistic fiction novels, but you didn’t know high fantasy or even nonfiction reading could be better, then of course you’re not going to like to read.

These are only a couple of reasons why kids might find reading inherently boring. Let’s learn tips to make reading more fun!

Tips for Making Reading Fun

If you’ve been following this month’s posts, you might recognize some of these suggestions, but I hope you’ll find something to try with your reluctant reader.

1. Get recommendations from someone else.
   Seriously, kids do not take their parents/guardians advice to heart most of the time. What could parents actually know about being a kid? Allow a librarian, teacher, or bookseller to give your child some options. And really allow them to interact. If kids are given a voice and a choice when it comes to reading, they’ll definitely be more engaged.
2. Try different genres and formats.
   As I mentioned above, if a kid is only given a specific genre or format, they’ll never know what else is out there. Quick book lesson – a genre is a category of literature while a format is how a book is written. Genres will include fantasy, science fiction, realistic fiction, historical fiction, etc. While formats include graphic novels, novels in verse, etc. Expose your kids to as many genres and formats as possible! And don’t forget nonfiction – so many kids prefer nonfiction over fiction, but don’t realize it!
3. Try something other than books.
   Maybe books aren’t the way to go – try magazines or video games instead. Now, hear me out, there is a TON of reading when it comes to so many video games. If you can get your kid hooked on a text-heavy game, maybe find a book that’s related.
4. Tell your kids you didn’t like the book.
   This is a great way for your kid to try a book. Tell them you didn’t like it or even hated it. Kids LOVED to hear a librarian tell them that at the library. I always caveat that conversation with a simple, “That’s why so many books get published because everyone has different tastes.” But for some kids, the intrigue of why you didn’t like the book, might be enough for them to try reading it themselves.
5. Pair the book and movie.
   If your child is having difficulty creating that book world in their head. Maybe try watching the movie first. I know, I know, watch the movie before the book?!?!?!? But, it might just give them a little bit of support to read the book. And don’t forget, even a kid who can read on their own deserves some time to be read aloud, another great way to encourage reading!

For the month of April, I’ll be sharing tips for reaching reluctant readers as part of the Blogging A to Z Challenge. There are dozens of reasons why a child might be considered a “reluctant reader.” As summer nears, continued reading practice helps students to keep the reading skills they learned while reading for fun. But, that’s not easy when a child doesn’t want to sit down and read. I’ll be sharing 26 tips to meet reluctant readers where they are. And hopefully find a way to make reading bearable, if not even something they want to do!