It’s a new year and many of us are setting reading goals for 2024! Don’t forget to get your little readers in on the excitement!

My 7 year old is excited to set a yearly reading goal for the first time~ 90 books in 2024.

Here are some tips for encouraging your kids to set a reading goal:

1. Let Them Set Their Goal


Yes, you’ll want to encourage one that can actually be accomplished (I had to tell Eden 1000 books in a year might be a bit much lol), but let them set the bar for what they hope to achieve.

2. Track Reading in a Fun Way


There are so many ways to do this – Good reads, reading apps, printable reading trackers, etc. Find something that motivates your child. My daughter is an artist, and she loves visually seeing her goals being met. So a printable tracker works great for her to color in as she reads and see her progress!

*Here are some fun, free reading trackers: https://www.101planners.com/reading-log/

3. Let Them Choose What They Read


As gatekeepers, Sim and I carefully vet everything that comes into our home, but we try to have a broad variety of books for our children to choose from. Often, my daughter and I look through book lists from sources I trust, and she chooses her next reads.

*Booklists I trust:

https://readaloudrevival.com/recommends/

https://faithfulandflourishing.org/book-movie-lists/

https://goodbookmom.com/reviews/

4. Enjoy Audiobooks Together


Whether it’s during the afternoon while the little ones are napping, in the car, or during an evening laundry folding party, we love listening to audiobooks together!

*Hoopla is our favorite way to get audiobooks!

5. Be a Read-Aloud Family


Read through books together as a family. This might be my favorite way we spend time together. Nothing connects hearts like reading a good book together.

6. Visit the Library Often


Make it a weekly visit. Bonus points if your visit coincides with weekly storytime! This keeps a steady flow of fresh reading material in our home. We own MANY books, but budget doesn’t allow for endless book purchases. And if you’re looking for something your library doesn’t have, request it! Almost everytime we’ve done this, they’ve purchased the books we requested!

7. Set the Example


If you want your children to love to read, you must show them that you love to read. Model this for them. Let them see you reading. While audiobooks, kindles, and such are great tools, let your kids see you reading from physical books as well. Share your reading goals with your kids. Have some fun competition as you both try to work towards your goals throughout the year.

8. Celebrate Their Success

What happens if your child reaches their goal? How will you celebrate their accomplishment? And what if they don’t reach it, but they tried hard and came close? We all love to be rewarded for a job well done. Decide on a spcial way to celebrate all their hard work, and do it in a way that speaks to their personality and love language. I know my Eden. She would love if we celebrated with ice cream and a new book to kick of next year’s reading challenge!

What would you add to the list? Do your kids have a 2024 reading goal? How will you celebrate their success?

I’d love to hear in the comments!