Children have much to gain from reading and being read to. According to the Children's Bureau of Southern California, a nonprofit organization devoted to strengthening vulnerable children, their families and the communities where they live, reading aloud to children supports their cognitive development, improves their language skills, prepares them for academic success, increases their discipline and ability to concentrate, and improves their imagination and creativity.

Parents can try several strategies to encourage kids to read more.

Parents of young readers or children learning to read undoubtedly know that children like to read the same book over and over again. Although that might not engage moms and dads, experts note that allowing kids to read the same books multiple times is an effective way to foster a love of reading in children. Kids are more likely to enjoy reading if they recognize more words and can better understand the stories, so parents can encourage kids to re-read books.

When the family is traveling by car, children may often watch movies on an electronic device. Reading may be a suitable alternative activity for children who are not prone to motion sickness. On long road trips, parents can promise a movie after kids have read for a set amount of time. Parents may also consider storing a couple of books or magazines in the back seat so they are on hand whenever parents run errands with the kids in tow.

Another way to encourage young readers to pick up a book more often is to praise their efforts even if they struggle with words. Patience can go a long way toward instilling a love of reading in children. If kids are struggling with a word or words, read the sentence aloud with them. Reading also has a tendency to pique readers' curiosity, so parents can encourage kids to ask questions about the books they read and possibly help them to find answers to those questions.

Summer reading programs sponsored by local libraries have been found to be conducive to promoting reading in young children. In its report titled "The Role of Public Libraries in Children's Literacy Development," the Pennsylvania Library Association indicated that preschool and summer reading programs encourage children to spend significant amounts of time with books and also encourage parents to play a greater role in their children's literacy development. Participation in such programs is typically free of charge.

Reading benefits children in myriad ways, and parents can employ various strategies to foster a love of reading in their children.