Biography expert shares tips to encourage pupils to read outside of school

Summer reading journals provide free entertainment for children, but how can we ensure they will maintain their habit?

Rutger Bruining, CEO/Founder of StoryTerrace – the US’ leading memoir-writing service – unveils his top tips to promote reading

As the school holidays have begun, children and young people search for their way to stay entertained over summer. However, this sometimes can prove to be easier said than done as research by Layered Reality found that 31% of parents believe their children are bored with the lack of variety in their hobbies. Bookstores are now helping children get ahead of their next semester and helping them get into a habit of reading. Many bookstores have unveiled their top reads for children this summer with some even providing incentives, such as Barnes and Noble. To encourage your children to maintain their reading goals, biography-expert and CEO/founder of the leading biography-writing service, StoryTerrace, Rutger Bruining, reveals his top four tips.

Finding a book they’ll love
Reading can quickly be turned into a tedious task that children have to do for their homework, so the first place to start would be finding a book that is unrelated to their school assignments, reigniting their love of reading. Providing a variety of reading materials such as short stories, graphic novels, or even memoirs from their favoured celebrities can encourage a healthy habit of reading for pleasure.

Being a reading role model
Young people tend to copy or pick up behaviours from their friends, older siblings, or even their parents, so it is important to influence them by demonstrating enthusiasm while reading, and helping them discover new and diverse forms of literature. Reading has been found to have great mental health benefits for both adults and children such as reducing stress, and can provide a peaceful pastime for you both to do together.

Audiobooks
A fantastic story doesn’t always have to come in the form of a book, we are able to listen to our favourite stories read to us, providing a perfect tool to unwind with ease. Audiobooks are also brilliant method for engaging reluctant readers, providing a bridge for those who find literacy a challenge.

A conversation
Stories provide a whole new world of imagination and perspectives, so discussing with your child what they’re reading creates an environment of critical thinking. Children are able to explore new perspectives on the storyline, and talking about it with them gives the time to process what they’re reading.

About StoryTerrace:

StoryTerrace’s mission is to ensure that every life story is captured and passed on in a meaningful way. Its award-winning memoir writing service takes care of the whole process – matching clients with one of over 750 professional writers, interviewing, photo gathering, editing, designing, and printing their very own book. Books are on average 100 pages long, meaning that everyone can have their life story – or those of their loved ones – documented in a professionally curated biography or series of memoirs.

Powered by its proprietary technology platform, StoryTerrace continues to scale globally and has sold over 3,500 packages since its founding in 2014. The company was a winner on BBC Dragons’ Den in 2020 and has gained traction in the likes of Sky News, The Wall Street Journal, The Times, Forbes, and CBS News.