December 10, 2009
December 9, 2009
WHAT ARE YOU "SAYING" TO YOUR CHILD ?
There are many, many books that become a part of your life. I remember my Mother reading Peter Rabbit by Beatrice Potter to me as a very young child. Years later I would choose Potter's characters to decorate my daughter's nursery. Her books represent a warm and loving feeling to me and I wanted to share that with my new baby.
I also began collecting first edition children books for my daughter. The first book I purchased was (no surprise) Peter Rabbit! As my daughter grew, the books we shared with her grew as well. Her collection of first editions and books signed by the authors and illustrators grew so much so that we had to purchase three large book cases just for her bedroom. Almost twenty years later, my daughter reveres those books, but she also holds close to her heart the time we spent together reading, talking, and collecting books.
How do you make the world of books accessible to your child? Is the TV on all day long or do you turn it off and read together every night? Your actions speak loudly to your children so be careful what you are "saying". By making books and learning an everyday part of your family life you are "saying" many, many positive things.
I also began collecting first edition children books for my daughter. The first book I purchased was (no surprise) Peter Rabbit! As my daughter grew, the books we shared with her grew as well. Her collection of first editions and books signed by the authors and illustrators grew so much so that we had to purchase three large book cases just for her bedroom. Almost twenty years later, my daughter reveres those books, but she also holds close to her heart the time we spent together reading, talking, and collecting books.
How do you make the world of books accessible to your child? Is the TV on all day long or do you turn it off and read together every night? Your actions speak loudly to your children so be careful what you are "saying". By making books and learning an everyday part of your family life you are "saying" many, many positive things.
- You are saying.... books are fun!
- You are saying.... you are special to me because I spend time reading and talking with you every day!
- You are saying.... I care about you because I turn off the TV and give you my full attention, during my busy day, for at least fifteen minutes every night!
- You are saying.... we are going to read and talk about great books to build your vocabulary in order for you to read well, write well, and speak well!
- You are saying.... I will spend our money on books and word games because I want you to be successful in school and beyond!
December 8, 2009
Fun Things to do with Books !
Some children love to read, can't get enough great books, and are not happy unless they have a stack of books waiting in the wings to be read. Other children..... are the opposite. They would rather eat their vegetables then sit with a book. This is soooo sad it makes me cry!
Today I want to share with you terrific ways to grow your reluctant reader into a life-long reader!
1. Buy books as gifts.... and then buy some more! Owning books are part of growing up as a reader.
2. Read aloud to your child EVERY day no matter what the age. If they drive themselves to the mall to get away from you, you might want to consider stopping!
3. Find books on topics your child is interested in. Today there are tons of books on every subject for every age and reading level. There are lots of new books on non-fiction subjects which appeal to children, but especially to boys. Go to www.guysread.com for useful ideas concerning boys and books. How do you find out what topics interest your children? Ask them!
4. Visit the library on a regular basis. This is the place with rows and rows of free books, and free magazines, and free audio books, OK- you get the idea.
5. Record yourself reading your child's favorite poem or book. Leave it with the babysitter to play while you are away. How about recording yourself reading a classic and send it to your child away at school? They would love to hear your voice and you would love to have them learn the classics. My favorite classic is Romeo and Juliet.
6. Attend free story times at your local book store or library. Local book stores are struggling due to the big guys on the block. Search for an independent book store at http://www.bookweb.org/index.html
Did you know the research shows that a child not reading well by the end of third grade has only a ten percent chance of ever becoming a reader?!
Today I want to share with you terrific ways to grow your reluctant reader into a life-long reader!
1. Buy books as gifts.... and then buy some more! Owning books are part of growing up as a reader.
2. Read aloud to your child EVERY day no matter what the age. If they drive themselves to the mall to get away from you, you might want to consider stopping!
3. Find books on topics your child is interested in. Today there are tons of books on every subject for every age and reading level. There are lots of new books on non-fiction subjects which appeal to children, but especially to boys. Go to www.guysread.com for useful ideas concerning boys and books. How do you find out what topics interest your children? Ask them!
4. Visit the library on a regular basis. This is the place with rows and rows of free books, and free magazines, and free audio books, OK- you get the idea.
5. Record yourself reading your child's favorite poem or book. Leave it with the babysitter to play while you are away. How about recording yourself reading a classic and send it to your child away at school? They would love to hear your voice and you would love to have them learn the classics. My favorite classic is Romeo and Juliet.
6. Attend free story times at your local book store or library. Local book stores are struggling due to the big guys on the block. Search for an independent book store at http://www.bookweb.org/index.html
Welcome !
Hello and Welcome to my new blog!
Growing readers is my passion. The problem is there are too many people who believe learning to read begins in school, but the reality is that learning to read begins at home. Waiting for school may be too late!
This blog will be about helping everyone who cares about children get easy-to-use ideas about making learning to read fun, fun, fun!
Not only will there be great ideas about books your children should not miss, but I'll explore quality Web sites, post an 'Ask the Reading Specialist' section, and much more! Stick with me as we build this great site together!
Growing readers is my passion. The problem is there are too many people who believe learning to read begins in school, but the reality is that learning to read begins at home. Waiting for school may be too late!
This blog will be about helping everyone who cares about children get easy-to-use ideas about making learning to read fun, fun, fun!
Not only will there be great ideas about books your children should not miss, but I'll explore quality Web sites, post an 'Ask the Reading Specialist' section, and much more! Stick with me as we build this great site together!
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