Roald Dahl once said that if you are going to get anywhere in life you have to read a lot of books.

While I’m not entirely sure where I’ve got in life I do know that I’ve read a lot of books.

I learnt to read with the classic 1980s series The Village With Three Corners (the title of which makes absolutely no sense whatsoever!) followed by the likes of Gill Murphy’s The Worst Witch and later Nancy Drew.

Indeed my first ever blog post started with a sentence based on one of the most famous opening lines of a novel there is: Jane Austen’s Pride and Prejudice (of which there is a rather interesting kids’ version, by the way).

I’d love it if BB, Little B and Littlest B love reading as much as I do, but the question is, like helping them with times tables, how can you help your child learn to read without putting on too much pressure or making it a chore? Here’s what we’ve been doing.

Fun ways to help your child learn to read

1. Use magnetic letters to spell out rude words on the fridge. I don’t mean the sort of rude words you might leave for your other half to find when you’ve had one too many, I mean the kind of rude words a five-year-old finds funny. Like poo, bum and wee. Which to be honest I find quite funny too.

2. Buy them a personalised book. Personalised books where your child has a starring role are engaging, fun and something they’ll want to read again and again. We’ve recently been sent a brand new personalised Peppa Pig book by Penwizard for BB (£17.49 for softback or £22.49 for hardback) which is written and designed in collaboration with the creators of Peppa Pig. It’s all about finding your child’s name in the story, helping to teach them their name and become more confident reading.

Not only does BB’s name feature in the story, she actually features in the illustrations too.

You can personalise your child’s hair style and colour, their skin tone and their eye colour so the character really looks like them.

Penwizard also has a range of personalised children’s books featuring other favourite characters such as Paw Patrol, Ben and Holly and Frozen, and they’re very kindly giving Crummy Mummy readers 20% off personalised books until Friday May 12 – see below for the discount code!

3. Use foam bath letters. Just like magnetic letters on the fridge, foam letters that stick to the edge of the bath when wet are a great way of helping them learn to spell and read too. In our house rude words always go down well here too.

4. Leave notes under their pillows. BB absolutely loves finding and deciphering notes under her pillow. I’ve also left them in her lunchbox too.

5. Encourage them to write birthday and Christmas lists – and read them back. As well as rude words our fridge is home to a rolling birthday list which BB starts writing as soon as Christmas is out of the way and updates on a regular basis depending on her latest whim. Admittedly her spelling could do with a bit of work, but she’s getting there.

Penwizard discount code!

For 20% off Penwizard personalised children’s books visit www.penwizard.com and enter the code CRUMMY17 at the checkout.

(T&C’s apply. Offer not valid in conjunction with any other offers or discount codes. Available on personalised children’s books only, not valid on stationery items. Offer valid until midnight on 12th May 2017).

Do you remember The Village With Three Corners books? Are you helping your child learn to read and do you have any hints or tips? I’d love to hear what they are!

Penwizard sent us the personalised Peppa Pig book in exchange for this review. As always all opinions are my own and based on my own honest experience.

Linking up with…