Do you want to get your kids excited about reading? If so, get ready for the countdown: ten days of ideas that will get you and yours into reading!
Today’s challenge? Make reading into a family event. While all of the past suggestions that I’ve made apply to families, today’s ideas focus on reading as a family bonding time.
Make a book of family stories, or collect memories from family members. One of my favorite school projects involved collecting stories from my grandfather. I’m sure that you have some family stories floating around. Even if they’re newer stories about what happened last summer at the beach, write them and tell them and put them into a family book!
Make reading into a ritual. Read out loud at a particular time every day, and have quiet family reading times together. Take out a book when you’re going somewhere or when you’re on vacation. Create triggers for your kids – these triggers tell them that reading should happen at particular times. If you always bring out a book as you wind down for the evening, your kids will see this pattern and start to emulate it. One of the only things that calms my daughter down when she’s hysterical is reading out loud. What a good association to have for later in life (well, it’s probably better than eating an entire carton of ice cream, anyway!).
Make reading into a fun family activity. Play games that involve reading or making up stories. Have a family book club. Go to the library on a particular day of the week, or have a treat day once a month when you buy a book. Make reading a pleasurable thing that you do with the family.
How do you share your love of reading with your family?
Image Credit: A Dassel