Teach the Love of Reading to Your Grandchildren

I was a struggling reader when I was growing up. I couldn’t see pictures in my head when I read—just words I couldn’t pronounce. But when my parents read to me or my Grandma Widdifield told me one of her creative stories, I could visualize the characters and experienced a love of books.  

My Grandpa Harris, an avid fan of the library, took my little brother and me to the Danville, IN public library. We walked from their house through the little town to the library. We were each allowed to select two books to take home. On the way back we would stop by Dairy Queen and get a treat. Then we would go back to the house and “read” our books. I loved checking out books at the library. I felt grown up when I got my first library card.

My dad inhaled books and my mom learned the love of reading on our move to California in the early 1970s. She improved her vocabulary on that trip, and I always admired her for that. I too taught myself to be a reader by taking literature classes in college and pushing through books—looking up words I didn’t know in the dictionary (an idea my friend Alicia gave me). Today I love to read, and I see pictures in my head instead of words. My family taught me to love books, and now I encourage my grandchildren to read, too.

All four of my grandchildren adore books. They each have a large library of stories they go back to and place new favorites on their shelves. All my children and their spouses started reading to my grandkids at a very early age and inspired their love of reading.

What can you do to encourage your grandchildren to read? Plenty.

Travel with books.

When you visit your grandchildren, bring a book to read. Or spend quiet time reading to them. Even older kids like to have a good story read to them. If one of them is reading a book for school, read it, too, so the two of you can talk about it. My sister-in-law always read the novels her kids read at school so she could talk to her girls about the story and reinforce their love of reading. To this day they talk about books.

Write a story.

I have written and illustrated 18 books for my grandchildren. They give me an idea and I write about it and illustrate it for their birthday. I even published three board books through Pint Size Productions. I wrote a story, added photographs, and laid it out in their simple design process. You can print one book or thousands. Children love stories written about them. And if you aren’t prepared to write your own story, there are many places that offer canned stories that can be personalized for your grandchild. Even better, tell your grandchildren stories about your life as a child. I loved hearing stories about my grandparents’ lives before they became adults. It made me realize they were once young, too.

Go to your local library.

Your local library is a wealth of fun. Allowing children to check out books is a gift. It gives them ownership of their own reading tastes. They can read books at the library and then take their favorites home. Many libraries have storytellers or book readers during the week. The library close to two of my grandchildren has a fun discovery room that you can rent for free for an hour at a time. Most libraries have websites or newsletters that talk about upcoming events. It’s a free experience that will bring your grandchildren moments of fun.

Visit Book Stores.

I’m lucky to have two fabulous independent bookstores near me. They have a smaller selection of books, but they are lovingly chosen by their dedicated staff. Some books are even signed by authors. Many have reward systems where your grandchildren can earn points to put toward a future purchase. Used bookstores have a large variety of books that are available at a discount.  Take your grandchildren book shopping and then read the books to them when you get home.

Take your grandkids to a book signing.

Book signings can be held at bookstores or even independent children’s toy stores. Authors will often read all or a portion of their book to the audience and then sign books that you purchase. I took my grand twins to meet Olga Herrera who released her first picture book, The Unwelcome Surprise. The twins met her, heard her read her story, got a personalized signature, and received stickers along with a great book. Who knows, you might inspire a future author.

Volunteer to read a story at your grandchild’s school.

While there are now new rules about volunteering at schools, ask your grandchild’s teacher if you can come in and read a book to the class. It can be a one-time gig or weekly depending on schedules and availability. 

Share your home library with your grandchildren.

Many of us have a wealth of books in our home libraries. Talk to your grandchildren about what you’re reading and why you enjoy the book. Offer suggestions of possible reading material and then talk to them about the story. 

Give a magazine subscription to your grandchildren.

I sent a subscription of Ranger Rick’s Nature Magazine to my nature-loving grandsons. They enjoy the magazine each month. Nana Ann sends articles to her granddaughters when she finds something that might interest them. It’s a great way for her to stay connected and talk about issues they are dealing with as adults. Your grandchildren are never too old to get support from you.

Some kids are born to read, but most young readers need to be nurtured. They learn to love books from the adults in their lives. So read and talk about books with your grandchildren.

Next Month 

In June, I will talk about overnight visits with your grandchildren. If you have an experience with having your grandkids stay with you or you staying overnight with your grandchildren, contact me. Your experience could be helpful to other grandparents.