MY Reader

My 7 year old daughter loves reading.  I can't count the total number of books she has read this past month but I know it's more than a dozen. She entered a competition with her school and classmates to see who reads the most books and gives a quick synopsis of it... As a reward for reading the most books and being knowledgeable about what you read, you win two free tickets to San Antonio's Fiesta Texas! She was all over that! We find out at the end of the month if she made it. There are three winners and I know she was at the top of the list! Want to raise a reader? There are benefits in the end for your children. She is already journal writing and is writing a book (children's version of course).

Here’s a quick top 5 reasons why you need to raise a reader.

1.       Build a relationship with you.  Reading bedtime stories together is something that children look forward to each night.  (Having that routine also helps makes bedtime easier!  Consider it a bonus!)  One day your children will look back at the times you spend together snuggling together reading books.  This is something you can do with your child at an early age and can continue until they are older.  When your child gets older let them read in bed.  Josh is 9 and some nights he just wants to do it himself.  So our deal is you can go to bed on time or you can stay up an extra 15 minutes if you chose to read in bed.   I’ve never had going to bed on time win this battle!

2.       Helps them academically.  This goes without saying that reading regularly will help your child’s grades go up.  It helps not only English grades with reading, spelling and grammar but it will also help in all subjects.  If a child is struggling to read than how can you expect them to read their science book and comprehend what they are reading?

3.       Allows for imagination.  Reading takes you to another world.  You can go back in time or to the future.  You can see things through a dogs perspective.  You can be president.  Let your child experience these things!  Let them pretend – let them imagine!

4.       Speech skills will improve.  A child who reads often sees and hears the correct ways of speaking and has an easier time communicating through speaking and writing.  Teach children that you see something in the present and the future, but in the past you saw.  You aren’t gonna, you are going to.  Set your child up to succeed with teaching them the basics of communication!  Not only will this help your child in school, but it will help them for the rest of their lives.

5.       Reading is fun.  Just in case you need proof.

“Sometimes reading is more fun than my watching TV.”

(Source)

So what can you do to help your child be a better reader and love reading?

1.       Read to them everyday.  If your child is older try our method of giving them the choice to go to bed or stay up a little later and read.  If your child gets in the habit of reading everyday it is one that they will likely keep throughout their life.

2.       Let your child pick out their own books.  We all like to read certain things.  Let your child experience the magic of books through their own interests.  Sometimes it’s ok to suggest things and sometimes it’s ok to say you can read that later.  If you are reading to your child at bedtime why not alternate who picks out the bedtime book.  Then, you can share some books you read when you were younger and your child gets to share some new books with you. 

3.       Keep a reading chart.  You can keep track by the minutes or by the books.  Make sure to keep it fun!  Here are some that I have found online that I really like!

Here is a whole summer reading kit that is free to print out!  The ladies at How Does She and Chickabug really out did themselves with this one.  It’s really awesome.

Delia Creates made this wonderful free printable summer bingo card originally for her summer bucket list.  I think it would be a great summer reading list as well.  Just simply print and add in book titles.  When your child reads the book they cover the space! BINGO!

4.       Get your child their own library card.  Make sure to make a really big deal about it!  Going to the library is a great (free!) activity to do with your child.  And there is so much more than just books!  They have movies, computer games, story packets and activities to do.

5.       Show your child you love reading too.  Make sure your child sees you reading.  If they see you reading on a daily basis they will follow in your footsteps.

6.       Give them a variety of material to read.  You can give your child books, plays, books on CD, magazines, comic books, cereal boxes – just about anything!

7.       Make sure they aren’t just reading the words.  Ask your child questions about what they read.  Do an activity that correlates with the book.  For example if you read Captain Underpants why not try your hand at drawing your own comic strips.  Or if you read If I Ran the Zoo why not take a trip to your local zoo.  There are so many things you can do to encourage conversation and really make the books come alive!