Summer leaves lots of time for kids to enjoy fun activities such as going to the park, seeing a movie, or going to the beach. Why not also encourage them to read a book about the activity? If you’re going to a baseball game, suggest your child read a book about his or her favorite player beforehand. In the car or over a hot dog, you’ll have lots of time to talk about the book and the game.
Ask your children to describe events in their lives. Talking about their experiences makes children think about them. Giving detailed descriptions and telling complete stories also helps children learn about how stories are written and what the stories they read mean.
Children want to learn how to write and to practice writing. Help them learn by having paper, pencils, pens, or crayons for them in your home. Help your children write if they ask you. If your child has a special learning or physical need, regular pens and pencils may not be the best choice. If you need help in choosing materials for your child, talk to his or her teacher about what they feel is best.
Take your children to see a local storyteller or be one yourself. Don’t forget to improvise different voices or wear a silly hat to make the story that much more interesting!
Set aside a special time each day that you and your child devote to reading. Before bed, at breakfast and before dinner are common times for many families with busy school and activity schedules. For example, your child can read to you while you wash the dinner dishes or you can read to your child from the newspaper as she eats her breakfast. Even if it’s only 15 minutes a day, you’re encouraging lifelong reading.
A special nook - Create a special place for you and your child to read. It could be a favorite chair, a couch, a child’s bed, or outside under a tree or by a lake.
Share your stories - Telling stories from your personal life is a fun way to teach values, pass on family history and build your child’s listening and thinking skills. Your child might someday want to write the stories down in a book for a class project.
Read around the world - Help develop geography and reading skills by making a faux passport and a copy of an oversized world map. Each time you and your child read a story about a different part of the world, color in that country on the map and stamp the passport. Continue the activity by doing research on the countries, reading the newspaper and watching the news.
Spring Break is March 31-April 4th. Have a safe and relaxing break!!
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Record your child’s favorite book - A cassette recorder is one way to enable younger children to enjoy a favorite book again and again. Grandparents, parents, older brothers or sisters can record their favorite stories on tape or the whole family can join in and play different characters.