https://boards.hellobee.com/ Pregnancy, Baby and Parenting blog, by Hellobee en Tue, 26 May 2026 21:04:41 +0000 https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/6-year-old-doesnt-want-to-practice-reading#post-2858134 Fri, 23 Nov 2018 18:28:12 +0000 FaithFertility 2858134@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@hummusgirl: Yay! Some other fun games<br /> Flash light tag<br /> Post some words/simple sentences in a room<br /> Turn lights off and find them/read them with a flashlight</p> <p>Also to encourage stamina maybe he gets a sticker for every book or 5 mins reading once he earns 5 he gets a prize?!!? </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/6-year-old-doesnt-want-to-practice-reading#post-2857815 Tue, 20 Nov 2018 23:15:16 +0000 hummusgirl 2857815@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Update: I'm trying to make it fun and so far it's working. Tonight I wrote down a funny thing my 3-year-old said ("The poop goes around and around" as the toilet flushed) and he read it and cracked up (gotta love 6-year-old humor). And then I made bingo cards with easy words (including their names) and they used cheerios as markers and he asked to do it again tomorrow. So I'm expanding my definition of "reading" to not focus so much on books - though we still read books to him every night which he loves and asks for. </p> <p>Gonna put some Elephant and Piggie books on hold at the library - they're hot commodities around here! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/6-year-old-doesnt-want-to-practice-reading#post-2857755 Tue, 20 Nov 2018 18:45:51 +0000 Mrsbells 2857755@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@hummusgirl: we also havr a similar timeline, we have made it a nightime routine to always read before bed. What helped a lot was participating in several summer reading challenge bingo. Also going to the local library over the weekends and letting her choose books from the kids section. One thing I do is ask questions as we read about what she thinks is coming next in the story to build up anticipation. I think if you keep doing it each night he will get into it. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/6-year-old-doesnt-want-to-practice-reading#post-2857657 Tue, 20 Nov 2018 12:43:56 +0000 poppygirl15 2857657@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I haven't read all of the comments but what we did last year when my daughter was in kindergarten was we would read to her, but ask her to read the "sight words." So, maybe have your son start off by "reading" words he already knows. Also, as others have suggested, finding the right book has been key. My daughter didn't have a reading requirement last year, but as a first grader is supposed to read for 10 minutes a day. She really didn't want to until she was introduced to Mo Willems' Piggie &amp; Elephant books. She LOVES them and now reads two books to herself every night. Good luck!! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/6-year-old-doesnt-want-to-practice-reading#post-2857656 Tue, 20 Nov 2018 12:42:09 +0000 Mrs Green Grass 2857656@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Didn’t read it he rxomments, but don’t force him. You reading counts as reading. My son is actually a great reader but rarely wants to do it himself. I never push. One of the easier ways to keep him involved is the have him read the random words on a page, like the sound words or thought bubbles that aren’t the full text.</p> <p>I also highly recommended Elephant and Piggie books. They are so funny and often my son and I will pick parts. But if something is too long and he doesn’t want to read it, I read it for him.</p> <p>The most important thing is to keep it fun and positive! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/6-year-old-doesnt-want-to-practice-reading#post-2857633 Tue, 20 Nov 2018 11:05:32 +0000 Mamaof2 2857633@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@hummusgirl: if its hard I would start with simple books with just a few words per page - BOB books are great - then you read a page and then he reads a page </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/6-year-old-doesnt-want-to-practice-reading#post-2857622 Tue, 20 Nov 2018 10:01:52 +0000 Bluebonnet 2857622@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>We both work FT, so I get how hard it is to fit in one more thing. Our school sets the same expectation of students reading 20 min per day at home. There are tons of studies about how reading 20 min a day sets your child up for success (broader vocabulary, better test scores, etc), so it was very important to me to figure this out so it’s not an ongoing struggle. </p> <p>My priority is developing a love of reading and keeping reading a positive experience. What helped us when LO was struggling learning to read:<br /> - making sure we read to her daily (just because she could read didn’t mean we were going to stop reading to her)<br /> - going to the library and getting books she was interested in<br /> - asking friends for recommendations and checking those books out too<br /> - reading 1 page and having LO read the other page<br /> - having LO read the sight words she knows and we read the other words<br /> - if we had a busy week and skimped on our nightly reading, I’d read extra on the weekends </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/6-year-old-doesnt-want-to-practice-reading#post-2857607 Tue, 20 Nov 2018 07:51:59 +0000 Mama Bird 2857607@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@hummusgirl: I've heard a lot about kids learning to read just from sitting next to someone who reads to them, so what you're doing is probably helping a lot! </p> <p>Apparently my mom first learned to read upside down, because she'd sit across from her mom while she read. Oops :grin: I've also seen DS's reading improve big time because DH reads to him, and he sits there and follows along. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/6-year-old-doesnt-want-to-practice-reading#post-2857605 Tue, 20 Nov 2018 07:16:41 +0000 hummusgirl 2857605@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Thanks everyone - these are such great suggestions! </p> <p>I'm inclined to chill out and let it come more naturally (I read somewhere that Danish kids don't start reading until 7 which makes sense to me) but my mom and MIL are both retired teachers and guilt-tripping me about it. </p> <p>I'm going to try lots of these ideas! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/6-year-old-doesnt-want-to-practice-reading#post-2857587 Mon, 19 Nov 2018 23:26:23 +0000 2littlepumpkins 2857587@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I just read *to* my kid, and then she reads on her own, but I don't really make her read to me. I figure whatever makes her happy to be reading. Also I do cheat and let her write down stuff we read on the weekends. I wouldn't push that hard, personally. I think it's more important to spark their interest and have them find a way for reading to just be useful and enjoyable, rather than trying to force the assignment aspect of it. I really believe kids are naturally curious and want to learn, and if we follow their lead and look for ways to bring reading into their interests, they will come around. Six is still pretty young, too. It can be as simple as you writing silly secrets down, or getting books on something that's already interesting, or reading baby books to a younger sibling/cousin/neighbor. I see someone suggested Bob books which can be good to start with.. a bit hit/miss as far as interest. Unless your lo is really behind, I would try not to put too much pressure on either of you. Another thing you could focus on is reading to him and working more on comprehension rather than decoding/"reading".. (sorry not sure if I"m using those terms totally right.) I think someone also suggested doing this more on the weekend. I would also do that, when you're feeling better and not rushing to do dinner/homework/housework/etc. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/6-year-old-doesnt-want-to-practice-reading#post-2857584 Mon, 19 Nov 2018 23:07:34 +0000 ReadItMama 2857584@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Spend the time reading together in a positive way, like it sounds you have been - even if you are doing the majority of the reading, sprinkle in sight word and comprehension activities:<br /> - pick out as many sight words as possible every-other page (in a picture book)<br /> - retell the story/chapter to the non-reading parent afterwards (beginning, middle, end)<br /> - "read" the book to a younger sibling/stuffed animal/pet or record it on a device (i.e. not to mom/dad and no corrections)<br /> - get wordless picture books from the library and read them together<br /> - write sight words in fun ways: colored gel pens (Rainbow Write), the door of the shower/tub fingerpaints<br /> - we do allow Endless Reader for limited screentime; and the Beatrix Potter book apps are splendid</p> <p>Mo Willems' Elephant &amp; Piggie, and the off-shoots, are very popular with the early reader crowd and a good for paired reading since there are two voices and speech bubbles. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/6-year-old-doesnt-want-to-practice-reading#post-2857544 Mon, 19 Nov 2018 16:42:58 +0000 ALV91711 2857544@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>DS is in kindergarten and thankfully doesn't have any reading requirements. Can you focus on reading time on the weekends instead? During the week maybe try picking out words on signs, food packaging etc to get in some practice.</p> <p>We read to him at bedtime but sometimes he wants to read to us. I like to share the reading with him. We take turns reading sentences. Sometimes I'll let him start the story and read a couple pages then I'll finish it. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/6-year-old-doesnt-want-to-practice-reading#post-2857531 Mon, 19 Nov 2018 15:53:01 +0000 Kemma 2857531@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>My 6yo loves reading the back of food packets and the pamphlets that come in the mailbox so maybe try something like that? </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/6-year-old-doesnt-want-to-practice-reading#post-2857525 Mon, 19 Nov 2018 15:29:23 +0000 Corduroy 2857525@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>We’re in the same boat. My DD is supposed to read 10 minutes a day but it takes us 40 min to accomplish 10 minutes of reading. That’s half of her at home awake time. I hate that our evening are dinner and nagging about reading. We don’t always get it done. We try to do Fri, Sat, Sun because she’s less tired. </p> <p>The BOB books are helpful. They gave her more confidence to try sounding out with me and on her own. Still it’s a struggle. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/6-year-old-doesnt-want-to-practice-reading#post-2857515 Mon, 19 Nov 2018 14:51:05 +0000 808love 2857515@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>When LO was younger, I would have a reading picnic. I would lay out a blanket and bring a snack and we would both read together. Sometimes DH would join us. We would make it an exciting anticipatory thing with cues to make it positive and happy thing. She is a big reader now. Also I wouldn’t enforce or be too caught up in the time. I didn’t want it to be a clock thing but more an intrinsic joyful thing. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/6-year-old-doesnt-want-to-practice-reading#post-2857503 Mon, 19 Nov 2018 14:10:57 +0000 jape14 2857503@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I'm not a huge fan of character books but reading the superhero (batman, spiderman, etc) "step into reading" books pushed my son over the edge into full blown reading. I got a set for inexpensive at costco this summer, but our library also has a ton so maybe check there so you can test out and see how he likes them? </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/6-year-old-doesnt-want-to-practice-reading#post-2857500 Mon, 19 Nov 2018 14:07:44 +0000 looch 2857500@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Games! We have pop for sight words that we started with and moved on to a game about sounds that encourages rhyming.</p> <p>Then, we moved into books that my son was interested in. We had great success in going to the library and talking to the librarian and picking out the books, like Fly Guy. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/6-year-old-doesnt-want-to-practice-reading#post-2857481 Mon, 19 Nov 2018 13:05:29 +0000 Mrs. Carrot 2857481@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>My 5 year old kindergartner is just starting to read and thankfully doesn't have any requirements from school yet. My approach as been along with what @merriment said - I capitalize on kiddo's excitement and don't push it otherwise. The biggest win for us has been the early reader books that are based on cartoons, like Shimmer and Shine and Sunny Day. She gets really excited about them because she knows the characters and the words are big and easy enough for her to sound out. Rarely can I get her to sit down during the day or even in the evening, usually she's roaring to read when we get in bed, which normally would be fine if it didn't send her brain into major overdrive and she then can't fall asleep, but we have a deal that she can read a few pages on her own and then 2 books that we read to her after so that she can calm down a bit. And we capitalize on anything she takes initiative on - reading signs, etc. We also get really excited about any time she reads, so that it registers as something fun with her. All in all, I wouldn't worry about the school pressure. Maybe see if he naturally gravitates toward books at the library or the store or something, but otherwise let it be and it'll come. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/6-year-old-doesnt-want-to-practice-reading#post-2857476 Mon, 19 Nov 2018 12:40:27 +0000 KT326 2857476@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I'll be honest, even though we are supposed to read every night, it just doesn't happen. Especially when he was in Kinder and the baby was younger. But we incorporated reading everywhere we went. I would try to have him read signs, things at the grocery store, menus. It seemed to be a lot easier that way.</p> <p>Now that he knows how to read (he is in 1st now), he reads to his little brother. We still don't read as often as we should, but he is reading at a 2nd grade level so I'm not worried about it. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/6-year-old-doesnt-want-to-practice-reading#post-2857475 Mon, 19 Nov 2018 12:39:36 +0000 kiddosc 2857475@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>We had the same problem where getting him to even try to read was a struggle. I second the recommendation of the Bob books <a href="https://smile.amazon.com/gp/product/0439845009/ref=oh_aui_search_detailpage?ie=UTF8&#038;psc=1" rel="nofollow">https://smile.amazon.com/gp/product/0439845009/ref=oh_aui_search_detailpage?ie=UTF8&#038;psc=1</a></p> <p>Once he had success with reading these very simple books, he was much more likely to attempt something a little bit harder. We tried it out on a weekend afternoon first, when we all had a bit more patience and then tried to incorporate him reading a few nights a week right after dinner. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/6-year-old-doesnt-want-to-practice-reading#post-2857473 Mon, 19 Nov 2018 12:37:43 +0000 merriment 2857473@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>My first grader is supposed to read (on her own) for twenty minutes a day. Honestly, we don't do it. She's tired of sitting still all day and wants time to run around and play. We do a bedtime story every night, and always ask if she wants to read it, but she still wants to be read to. We read to her a lot, and I know she can definitely read, but I'm not going to push it in the evenings and I'm not going to make reading into a thing we fight about. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/6-year-old-doesnt-want-to-practice-reading#post-2857472 Mon, 19 Nov 2018 12:17:38 +0000 bhbee 2857472@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I don’t really have specific advice but is the teacher recommending books? We got a lot more resources from her when we asked in person a day I happened to be there. The Bob books and such helped us since they are more limited vocabulary vs just a early level reader that can still be hard for them. </p> <p>Also just want to encourage you that I feel like reading is something where the progress is not linear ... it’s a struggle and then suddenly they get it and it gets easier. Is morning an option when you’d be fresher and then you read to him at night? (Honestly I couldn’t do it because elementary starts early here but thought I would throw it out there!) </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/6-year-old-doesnt-want-to-practice-reading#post-2857467 Mon, 19 Nov 2018 12:00:37 +0000 hummusgirl 2857467@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>My 6-year-old is in kindergarten and starting to learn to read, but it's a struggle. His teacher says he needs to read for a few minutes a day but it's hard - we both work so we don't get home until 6 and bedtime is at 8, not to mention none of us are at our best at that time of day. He loves for us to read to him (Who Was series, Captain Underpants, picture books). But he whines and gets easily discouraged when we ask him to read to us. </p> <p>Any suggestions on books or games or anything that might make this more enjoyable for all involved? I think he'll be really into reading once he really knows how. </p>