Im trying to help my 10 year old enjoy reading................?

Question

but he finds it a chore I know there are no problems,as he can read fluently but hes just got no interest I feel it would help his spelling and other literacy skills Ive tried comics,sci-fi anything to get him excited any advice?

Answer 1

It's quite common in boys.  I was going to suggest comics.  How about getting a book version of a film or TV programme that he wants to see but letting him read it before he watches it?

Or get him something to make like an aeroplane and let him read the instructions on how to do it?

Answer 2

I'm having the same problem. i found my son likes caption underpants and the old calvin and hops books. not my first choice of books but hey he's reading

Answer 3

Any magazine off the top shelf should hold his interest for a while.

Answer 4

Maybe he's just not going to be a reader, some people aren't. I read all the time, but I have a lot of "bus time" to fill on my way to work though, so I think developing reading is a great way to teach someone to fill their own time.

What books do ten year old boys like though? have you tried just taking him to the library and letting him choose his own books? maybe he will have a chance to read a bit of a few and choose one he thinks he'll like instead of one someone else has picked for him.

My son is 5, I read him older books, like "To kill a mocking bird" so he gains exposure to language - will your boy let you read to him instead of reading it himself? as long as he's hearing them he's learning new words.

Everyone compliments us on Dylan's use of language and comprehension.

Answer 5

i had the same problem with my step son so we brought him his fav sports star autobiography which he read and got quite excited about as he was learning new things about this person and other famous people - just be careful whos you buy as some of them may have things that are not suitable for 10 year olds  

Answer 6

kids learn by example, do you read alot yourself? maybe if you read the paper ect when hes in veiwing distance he will pick up on it and gradually gain intrest.

Answer 7

GOOD Fu*ki*G luck .. i'm 15 and ive Never enjyed reading.. but that's how i felt for a long time.. i'm in gd' 11 and have never read a full book.. some people just dont like doing it .

Answer 8

Hi i have exactly the same problem with my 10 year old in the end i took him shopping to chose his own books, he likes the harry potter books and he picked some books about cars and stories about adventures. I read with him and other times i see him reading them alone and if he struggles with a word he now asks me what it says and what it means. Hope this helps good luck. It did take a while for him to get into it but he sees me and his dad reading alot so he sits with us with his books.

Answer 9

There must be something, you can get him interested in! Even pokemon cards would be better than nothing! they help with reading and maths!

Or captain underpants books! my boys laughed their heads off at these! Or horrid henry, or enid blyton collection! Trumps cards.

Computer games with lots of reading! Board games with cards that have to be read out! We also told our kids that if they had 10 £ we would double it if they bought a book with it! SO making it seem like a treat! In fact we now just buy any books they want anyway! Let him choose what he would like!

Kids that age also love the guiness book of records and similar books that they can take to school and read together!

Answer 10

whatver makes you feel better

Answer 11

Get him fun magazines or something?

Or start a 'reading star chart'

Whenever he finishes a book , get him to stick a star sticker or something on a chart and when he's read 5 or 10 or any number you feel is enough for a small prize, then give him one (=

But idk, he may be a bit young for that .. Good luck (=

Answer 12

Most boys prefer non-fiction.  Go and get him the gunnies world record books, or some horrible science books, I bet he will love them.  Or books about a sport or activity he is interested in.  I know this may sound a bit daft but make sure he sees male role models reading (dad, uncles, family friends)...

Answer 13

HI Claire.

why not try something like Harry potter, or horrid henry, or even better, the captain underpants books?

My 8 year old absolutely LOVES captain underpants, and they have silly titles like: Professor Pee Pee Poopy Pants (although the titles are disgusting, they are really good to get kids interested- they all love gross things!).

Also, its well known that boys like non-fiction books, so is he interested in things like army men/dinosaurs.vikings etc? If so, get him factual books about his favourite things.

Answer 14

Does he have a favorite video game or tv show? They usually have books based off of a video game series or tv shows or movies, so you can start there. Then you can look up the author of those books and see what else he or she has written and read those books.

If he likes anime, he would probably like Manga as well. But with anime and mange, you need a strict eye over it, because there are varying degrees of appropriateness and just like tv or movies need to be monitored by age and maturity level. Good luck.  

Answer 15

Read to him everyday, 30 minutes minimum; chapter books.

Take him to the library once a week.

When you and your son discover what he is interested in then it is time for your son to start buying books. You can give him the money but he may feel more ownership for the book if he pays with his own money (allowance, odd jobs, etc).  

Answer 16

Start with some light reading. Don't give him big books, especially those that are not appropriate for his age. Forget about classics also, not even bookworms are fond of them.

Try to ask what his interests are then look for book that are related to that subject; just make sure it's interesting.  

Answer 17

Get him the "Series of Unfortunate Events" by Lemony Snicket, he's sure to love them

Answer 18

How about the Harry Potter books, or books on dinosaurs?

Answer 19

My little brother is 10 and for the longest time he had a lot of trouble reading because it just didn't keep his attention. I feel for you because it is also a chore for the parents, as you dont want to push too hard to get them to do it.

What does your son enjoy doing? In my brothers case, he LOVES sports, so we started buying him magazines with baseball stats and NASCAR stats in them. I know it is adult reading but he really wanted to know about those things. Not only did it help him to read but he was also more comfortable coming to us when he needed help.

Now he is an excellent reader- and he REALLY, I mean REALLY knows about baseball and NASCAR.

Find something your son loves and really wants to know about. Video game guides, sports books, whatever. He will enjoy that more than Harry Potter.

Good Luck.  

Answer 20

Get him a book that he cares about the contents of. Records of his favourite sports club, randoms facts about dinosaurs, an autobiography of his favourite singer...

Reading for reading's sake IS a chore. You need to teach him that what he gets out of it is worth it.

Answer 21

My 8 year old has no interest in reading either despite being read too from being a new born; however I cant see the point in it either!  I can read and am fairly intelligent but get no pleasure from sitting reading.

I find libraries a bore, it is one of those things we are all different; you cannot force any one to have an interest.  If you try too hard it becomes an issue then it is no fun for any one.

My daughter would rather be outside climbing trees or spending time with me and her pets, I am fine with her choice.  Kids have enough routine with school, let them do what they enjoy when they are ready they will try other activities.

Good luck, and dont get too worried.  

Answer 22

Find out what subjects really interest him and buy short fiction books like that. Goosebumps may be good becasue they are short and interesting from beginning to end.

Answer 23

I found that in order to get any of my kids to like reading they have to find a book/author that they like, just like adult do.  I mean, if a kid likes funny books, they aren't going to like a mystery.  My advise would be to let him pick out a few different types of book that are a little below his reading level so that he doesn't feel challenged, and let him skim through them.  I have a 10 yr old that feels reading is a chore also, so sometimes I read to her .  If I read one chapter, then stop, she tends to pick up the book to see what happens next.  Good books at this level are "Stuart Little", "Charlie & the Chocolate Factory",  and especially "Because of Win Dixie".  I would say that "Because of Win Dixie probably caught all of my kids attention (and mine) the most.

Answer 24

rather than reading try to get him to enjoy words by playing spelling games and such. Once he enjoys words then reading will follow, book are real drab for alot of children games aren't

Hope this helps

Answer 25

HMMMM.......I remember when I was in school and I hated reading, especially material that was forced on me from teachers. Being told to read specific books such as Great Expectations and then having to do a book report on it made me reject the very idea of reading anything. But I loved to write stories. I'll could write horror stories with lots of blood, romantic stories, fantasy stories with dragons and swords. I was the creator of magical worlds. The romantic stories though were my ultimate favorite because I put myself into the heroine role and was able to get the good-looking guy everytime.

By the time I reached high school, my english teachers were amazed at my writing ability with stories and told me that if I read other people's books on my favorite genre then I would acquire more ideas for the stories that I wrote.    

Now at the age of 29, I have published several short stories, poems, and am the own of  over 800 books that range from romance, Stephen King, Dean Koontz, Mercedez Lackey, Star Wars series, and many many others. I have read them all at least once.

I would try redirecting things and see if you can enhance his imagination by letting him tell imaginary tales. Talk to him about being an author growing up and making money by writing about something that he likes to watch on tv, a sport he likes to play or whatever. If he likes to ride his bicycle, try handing him a BMX magazine about professional bicycle riders that do tricks. Barnes and Noble bookstore has a LARGE variety of stuff.  Let him explore without the peer pressure. Whether from a teacher or from a parent, peer pressure on the child will usually backfire with negative results.

Hopefully I have helped you a little bit.   I wish you the best of luck.

Answer 26

Its really hard trying to get kids exciting for reading, for some its a boring chore and for others they enjoy it. If your child really doesnt enjoy it, you have to help them make it seem fun. Maybe you could set up a part of the day where you sit together and read for 20 minutes or so. And really encourage him/her to read and give lots of hugs when he/she gets a big word or something. Make it exciting and some family bonding even for you's two. Maybe get him his/her there very own libruary card and help them go to the libruary once a week to get a couple of books and just encourage them. Hope it goes well.