March is Reading Month! My daughter is logging her reading each night with a great incentive from school – the class with the greatest minutes gets a pizza party! We have made the commitment to read at least 20 minutes each and every night and it isn’t just because of the pizza party. As a former teacher, I know how important it is for children to be reading or to be read to EVERY DAY. Research has shown us that those who read 20 or more minutes a night score at a higher percentile than those you don’t. Getting kids to read and benefit from its lasting effects isn’t always too easy. How do you encourage reading at home?
3 Ways to Get Kids to Read More
1. Make it Interactive! The advent of technology has certainly infiltrated our reading in a good way. Take out the tablet, LeapPad or Tag Reader and make reading more than just reading the sentences on the page. Recently my kindergartner learned far more about dinosaurs than a traditional, age-appropriate book, would have let her. She read Leap and the Lost Dinosaur with her LeapFrog Tag. She tapped all sorts of pictures and words to learn fascinating details about dinosaurs. She didn’t want to stop reading! I was thrilled! {Follow this link to get $3 off Tag products purchased through the LeapFrog site: http://clvr.li/LFTagDiscount}
2. Make it Fun! Shhh!, don’t tell the librarian. Reading is fun! It isn’t necessary to read the encyclopedia. There are great books sitting on shelves in your local bookstore and library. Who says reading a joke book a few minutes each night isn’t good for you!? I used to encourage my 3rd graders to read the comic strips. Why not? Reading is reading, no matter where the words are located!
3. Make it Their’s! Let them pick the books out of the library! Encourage their interest by mentioning books ideas when they ask you question. We all know kids love to ask WHY questions. In a fun, not punishing way, suggest that you head to the bookstore or library to find the answer. Maybe a great book is sitting on the shelf that directly hits their interest and viola the book choice is their’s! They are now more likely to pull it out at home and read it!
Take the Commitment to Read
LeapFrog is celebrating this literary month through a fantastic Reading Month campaign! Head over to their Facebook page and SHARE their pledge! {Click SHARE below the Take the Pledge picture!} With each SHARE that is done, LeapFrog will donate 5 book to a school. Wow, that is another GREAT reason to read! Visit http://clvr.li/LFReadingMonth to learn more about LeapFrog’s celebration!
Celebrate with Tag!
LeapFrog is providing a special prize pack for one SmartyPantsMama reader! To enter:
a Rafflecopter giveaway
I was selected for this opportunity by Clever Girls Collective but content and opinions expressed here are my own. To take the LeapFrog Reading Month pledge, please visit their Facebook page. #LFReadingMonth #spon
Reading simple books at first are great for kids because they feel accomplished when they get through it with little to no help.
What a great giveaway, Caroline! Matty, my 6yo, is in Kindergarten and is just now getting the hang of reading on his own. I think he’d love this Tag prize pack.
Amanda recently posted..The New Fantasyland
Here is another tip on this one for you….. find something fun to read, I know it sounds obvios but when i was a kid i found these books called Fighting Fantasy where you [layed a character and you flicked to different pages to take different actions. I loved them so much I became obsessed spending every penny on them. Its just a matter of finding something they love.
Also, its 2013 now… reading doesnt need to involve books at all!
I encourage reading by helping my kids pick books that they are interested in. They also like snuggling to read. I also lead by example. When I have a minute (which isn’t very often) I like to show them that I read too!
we go to the library , the kids get to pick out their books they like at the bookstore
How do you encourage reading at home? We have a collection of books in all sizes. We also have computer aided books and e-books on out Kindle readers. Once a month we head to the library and pick enough books for 1 month, the kids get to pick whatever they want.
Ana @ Miami Mommy Savings recently posted..Shoe Carnival: Up to $15 OFF your Purchase In-Store or Online Thru 3/30!
My favorite quote is “Children become readers on the laps of their parents.”
I never give up looking for new authors & genres, I love when I can help encourage reluctant readers. This would be so wonderful for my LO & her friends TY for the chance