Breaking the Cycle: 4 Reading Incentives That Worked for Our Family
Sometimes all it takes is the right book—and the right motivation—to spark a love of learning. Every daily action we take becomes a habit, whether we’re conscious of it or not. The same goes for our children. So, the question is: what habits are we instilling in them?
As a mom of four juggling sports schedules, ballet lessons, school pick-ups and drop-offs, and a full-time job, I know how difficult it is to find time for reading. Sitting down with each child for their nightly 20-minute reading assignment often felt nearly impossible. Add in the power struggles and exhaustion, and many nights would slip by without building the reading fluency and confidence they needed.
Over the years, I noticed a pattern with my elementary-aged kids. Each fall, when school placement tests rolled around, both my son and daughter would score below average in literacy. But as the school year progressed—with consistent classroom intervention and whenever we managed to complete those nightly reading assignments—we saw steady improvement. By spring, both were reading at or above grade level. We’d finally caught up.
But then summer would hit.
Without the structure of school and the habit of daily reading, their progress would backslide. When fall arrived again, we’d find ourselves right back where we started—below the curve and in need of intervention. The cycle was disheartening. I felt like I was failing them by not creating reading habits that stuck and didn’t just promote literacy, but a love of books.
So last summer, we made a change. We broke the cycle by introducing fun and sustainable reading incentives. These four strategies worked wonders for our family—and we’ll be doing them again this summer.
1. Star Chapter Chart
We created a star chart to track every chapter read. To make it fun, we took a trip to the dollar store where each child picked out their favorite star stickers. Every completed chapter earned a star. After every seven stars, they’d earn a reward—usually a popsicle (which, for my 9- and 7-year-olds, was more than enough motivation!). Obviously, cater this award based on what works with your family's budget and age groups, etc.
This worked especially well with all Bakken Books, their short chapters are designed to encourage reading confidence. The short bursts of progress helped my kids feel successful without being overwhelmed. Download Free Personalized Reading Chart.
2. Reading Bucks
We introduced “Reading Bucks”—a system where every completed chapter book earned a $10 Reading Buck. At the end of each month, the bucks could be exchanged for real money to spend at the dollar store or Target. We turned this into a big deal by celebrating their monthly reading accomplishments together as a family.
This not only motivated them individually but created healthy sibling competition and collaboration. They saw the rewards of each other’s efforts, which helped set individual reading goals for the following month. Download Free Reading Bucks pdf.
3. Shared Series & Sibling Incentives
We encouraged my kids to read together, especially my 9-year-old son and 7-year-old daughter. We selected a book series that appealed to both (The Campground Kids was my kids' favorite) and allowed them to co-read and co-collect their rewards. This gave my son the opportunity to take on a leadership role and earn an extra star for helping his younger sister in the process.
This approach helped foster responsibility, teamwork, and positive sibling interactions—all while reinforcing reading as a shared, enjoyable activity.
4. Audiobooks with Physical Books
One of the biggest game-changers for us was incorporating audiobooks with physical books. The rule was simple: they had to follow along in the book as they listened. This mind-body connection made a huge difference, especially with books that were slightly above their independent reading level. (Pro Tip: We had our Amazon Alexa read it to them)
Audiobooks helped build confidence with more complex vocabulary and improved their comprehension. They began to tackle higher-level books with enthusiasm, feeling proud of their ability to understand and keep up. All incentives above applied to audiobook reading as well.
Series like The Campground Kids & Hometown Hunters can be found on Audible!
Final Thoughts
Building strong reading habits doesn’t have to feel like a chore—for you or your children. With a little creativity and consistency, we can make reading a joy, not a battle. These four simple strategies helped us stay on track, boost reading confidence, and most importantly, nurture a love for books that I hope lasts a lifetime.
This summer, we’re doing it all over again—and I invite you to do the same!
