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Christmas Gifts That Encourage Kids to Read Without Making Reading Feel Like Homework
Updated: Sep 23
Most adults who want a child to read more have good intentions.
We know reading matters. We want children to become confident readers, discover stories they love, and build skills that will help them throughout their lives.
But there's a difference between encouraging reading and turning every book into an assignment.
Christmas morning probably isn't the time for:
"Here's a book. When you finish it, I'm going to ask you ten questions about it."
If you're looking for Christmas gifts that encourage kids to read, the goal should be making reading more inviting, accessible, and enjoyable.
Give children interesting things to read.
Give them choices.
Let them discover what they like.
And sometimes, simply let reading be fun.
What Are the Best Christmas Gifts That Encourage Kids to Read?
The best Christmas gifts that encourage kids to read make books and stories feel enjoyable rather than obligatory.
Consider:
Books chosen around their interests
Graphic novels
Comics
Joke books
Nonfiction
Children's magazines
Audiobooks paired with physical books
A bookstore trip
A library adventure
A comfortable reading space
A reading light
A journal
Books connected to hobbies
A series they can continue
The best choice depends on the individual child.
The goal isn't to make them read what adults think they should enjoy.
Why Do Some Kids Think Reading Feels Like Homework?
For many children, a large portion of their reading happens at school.
They read a passage.
Answer questions.
Identify the theme.
Write about the character.
Define vocabulary.
Take a quiz.
Track pages.
Complete a reading log.
Those activities can serve educational purposes, but they also mean a child may associate books with being evaluated.
Then an adult hands them a book at home and says:
"You should read this. It's good for you."
The child may hear:
More school.
How Can You Encourage a Child to Read Without Forcing Them?
Make reading available and appealing.
Let children choose sometimes.
Offer different formats.
Talk about books without turning every conversation into a comprehension check.
Read alongside them.
Visit libraries and bookstores.
Let them abandon a book they genuinely dislike.
And remember that children don't all become readers through the same doorway.
One child discovers fantasy.
Another discovers graphic novels.
Another reads every fact they can find about dinosaurs.
Another loves sports biographies.
Another reads joke books until everyone in the house has heard the same joke seventeen times.
They're reading.
That's the important part.
Do Kids Have to Read Chapter Books for Reading to Count?
No.
Reading is not limited to traditional chapter books.
Books about games, animals, sports, science, art, or whatever currently fascinates them.
A child who eagerly reads 150 pages of a graphic novel is not somehow doing less "real" reading because there are illustrations.
If you're trying to build a lifelong reader, enthusiasm is valuable.
Are Graphic Novels Good for Reluctant Readers?
They can be excellent.
Graphic novels combine visual storytelling with written language, which can make reading feel more accessible to children who find pages of uninterrupted text intimidating.
They also aren't only for reluctant readers.
Plenty of enthusiastic, advanced readers love graphic novels because they're simply a different form of storytelling.
If a child voluntarily reaches for one, that's useful information.
Follow their interest instead of trying to redirect them toward something that looks more traditionally literary.
What Books Should You Give a Child Who Says They Hate Reading?
Start with what they love outside of reading.
Do they love horses?
Space?
Basketball?
Minecraft?
Sharks?
Drawing?
Cooking?
Cars?
True stories?
Scary things?
Funny things?
Mysteries?
Find reading material connected to that interest.
A child who says, "I hate reading," may actually mean:
"I haven't liked the books people keep choosing for me."
Those are two very different problems.
Should You Give a Child Books Above Their Reading Level?
Be careful.
A book that's too difficult can turn what was supposed to be enjoyable reading into a frustrating exercise.
Age and reading ability aren't always identical, but neither should be ignored.
For independent reading, a child generally needs material they can navigate without constantly stopping for help.
If the child is interested in a more advanced story, consider reading it together or using the audiobook alongside the physical book.
The goal is access to the story, not proving that the child can struggle through every word alone.
Are Audiobooks Good for Encouraging Kids to Read?
Audiobooks can be a wonderful way for children to experience stories.
They can expose children to vocabulary, storytelling, characters, and books that may currently be difficult to read independently.
You can also pair an audiobook with a physical copy so the child can follow along if they want.
Listening to stories doesn't need to compete with reading physical books.
Both can have a place in a child's reading life.
Are Books Good Christmas Gifts for Reluctant Readers?
They can be, but the selection matters.
If a child already dislikes reading, giving them a long, difficult novel because it's considered educational probably won't change their mind.
Instead, look for something that feels approachable.
Graphic novels.
Humor.
Interactive books.
Short stories.
Interesting nonfiction.
A book tied to something they already love.
A visually engaging book.
The first goal isn't necessarily getting them to read more pages.
It's creating a positive interaction with a book.
How Do You Choose Books When You Don't Know What a Child Likes?
Start with age and whatever information you do have.
You don't need a detailed personality profile.
Ask a parent for one or two current interests.
If you can't do that, look for broadly appealing books appropriate for the child's age and avoid relying entirely on the most obvious bestsellers.
A curated children's book club can also remove some of the guesswork because the books are selected according to age.
What If You Don't Know Which Books the Child Already Owns?
That's one of the hardest parts of giving books to a child who doesn't live with you.
You probably don't know.
And you shouldn't need to request a spreadsheet of their entire home library before giving them a Christmas present.
Choose beyond only the most famous titles and look for an exchange option.
At Owl Post Books, active members can return a book for a replacement if we send something the child already owns.
The same applies if a particular selection simply isn't right for them.
That gives gift-givers a little more flexibility when they don't know everything on the child's shelf.
Should Kids Be Rewarded for Reading?
Rewards can motivate some children in the short term, but be thoughtful about what message the reward creates.
If a child receives a prize every time they finish a book, reading can accidentally become the unpleasant task they endure to earn the thing they actually want.
That doesn't mean reading challenges or celebrations are bad.
They can be fun.
But reading itself should also have room to become rewarding.
The funny story.
The mystery they couldn't put down.
The character they loved.
The fact they couldn't wait to tell you.
Those experiences are what can turn reading into something a child chooses later without anyone keeping score.
Should You Make Kids Finish Every Book They Start?
Not necessarily.
Adults abandon books all the time.
Sometimes a book simply isn't a good match.
If every book becomes an obligation once opened, children may become more cautious about trying unfamiliar stories.
There are reasonable exceptions, especially for school assignments.
But recreational reading is different.
Giving a child permission to say, "This one isn't for me," can actually make exploring books less intimidating.
Does Reading Together Still Count for Older Kids?
Absolutely.
Reading together doesn't have to stop the moment a child can decode words independently.
You can take turns reading.
Listen to an audiobook together.
Read the same book separately and talk about it.
Read aloud while the child draws, builds, colors, or works with their hands.
Stories can remain social long after a child learns to read independently.
Why Do Some Kids Need Something to Do While They're Listening?
Sitting perfectly still isn't the only way to pay attention.
Some children listen better when their hands are occupied with a simple activity.
They might draw.
Color.
Build something.
Fidget.
Or work on a small craft while someone reads aloud.
The activity shouldn't overwhelm the story.
It can simply give busy hands something to do while the child listens.
This is part of the reason our younger Owl Post Books boxes include a small craft.
The craft isn't the product.
The books are.
The activity is there as one way to support engagement with reading, especially for children who enjoy doing something with their hands while listening to a story.
How Can Parents Make Reading Feel Less Like School at Home?
One simple change is to separate recreational reading from assessment.
You don't need to quiz children after every book.
Instead of:
"What was the main idea?"
try:
"Did you like it?"
Or:
"Who was your favorite character?"
Or simply let them tell you about it if they want to.
Not every reading experience needs a measurable outcome.
Sometimes the outcome is:
They enjoyed a book.
How Can Grandparents Encourage Reading Without Becoming the Reading Teacher?
Grandparents have a wonderful opportunity because they don't necessarily need to manage the child's schoolwork.
They can simply be the person who gives good books.
Take your grandchild to a bookstore.
Read together.
Send books in the mail.
Ask what they're reading because you're interested, not because you're checking.
Give them a children's book club.
Start a tradition where you each choose a book for the other.
A grandparent can help associate reading with attention, connection, and discovery rather than performance.
Can Books Help Long-Distance Grandparents Connect With Grandchildren?
Yes.
Read the same book.
Mail books with handwritten notes.
Ask the child to show you what they're reading during a video call.
Send a book periodically.
Start a two-person book club.
For younger children, you could even read a story aloud during a call while they follow along with their own copy.
Books give you something to share even when you don't live in the same place.
Is a Kids Book Club a Good Christmas Gift for Encouraging Reading?
It can be, particularly because part of the experience is discovery.
Instead of receiving one book on Christmas morning, children continue getting new stories to explore.
At Owl Post Books, our focus is the reading.
You choose the child's age range and we curate the books.
The books belong to the child, so they can keep favorites on their shelf, reread them, share them, and gradually build a home library.
For our younger readers, the small craft supports the reading experience rather than replacing it.
And if we send a book an active member already owns or one that simply isn't right for them, it can be returned for a replacement.
The goal isn't to assign children books.
It's to keep putting new possibilities in front of them.
Does a Book Club Make Reading Feel Like Homework?
It shouldn't.
A children's book club should create anticipation, not an assignment schedule.
A package arrives with the child's name on it.
They open it.
There are new books inside.
They can decide what looks interesting first.
There's no reason a recreational book club needs to come with a deadline, test, or requirement to finish everything before the next package arrives.
Books can wait on a shelf until the reader is ready for them.
That's part of building a home library.
What Are Good Reading Gifts Besides Books?
If the child already has plenty of books, you can support their reading life in other ways.
Consider:
A comfortable reading chair
A reading light
A bookshelf
Bookends
A library tote
A bookstore gift card
A journal
Audiobooks
A magazine
A special library day
A bookstore outing
Tickets to meet an author
A cozy blanket for a reading spot
The gift doesn't have to tell the child, "You need to read more."
It can simply make reading easier or more enjoyable.
How Can You Create a Reading Space for a Child?
It doesn't need to be a Pinterest-worthy reading nook.
A comfortable chair.
A pillow in a quiet corner.
A basket of books.
Good lighting.
A blanket.
That's enough.
The most important thing is accessibility.
If children can easily see and reach books, choosing one requires less effort.
You don't need a custom-built window seat and alphabetically organized miniature library.
Should You Give Kids a Reading Challenge for Christmas?
Only if the particular child would enjoy it.
Some children love challenges, charts, goals, and checking boxes.
For them, a reading challenge can be fun.
Other children immediately experience it as an assignment.
Know your reader.
You can also make the challenge playful rather than numerical.
Read a book that makes you laugh.
Read outside.
Read something about an animal.
Read a graphic novel.
Read a book someone else chooses for you.
Read under a blanket with a flashlight.
Now the challenge is about exploring reading rather than accumulating page counts.
What's the Best Way to Raise a Child Who Loves Reading?
There isn't a guaranteed formula.
Children are individuals.
But we can give reading the best possible chance.
Keep books available.
Let children see adults read.
Offer variety.
Follow interests.
Visit libraries.
Give books as gifts.
Read together.
Don't shame reading preferences.
Don't make difficulty the measure of value.
And leave room for reading to simply be enjoyable.
A lifelong reader isn't created because an adult found the perfect reading worksheet.
They're often created one interesting story at a time.
Give Them a Reason to Wonder What the Next Book Will Be
If you want a child to read more, you don't necessarily need to make reading more educational.
Children already spend plenty of time learning.
Sometimes what reading needs is more joy.
More choice.
More discovery.
More stories that make them laugh, wonder, imagine, or stay up five minutes later because they need to know what happens next.
That's the kind of relationship with books we want to encourage at Owl Post Books.
You tell us their age.
We choose the books.
They get to keep them.
No tests.
No reading logs.
No monthly return pile.
Just new stories waiting to be opened.
Because the best Christmas gift for encouraging a child to read may simply be giving them more chances to discover a book they can't wait to open.
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