Reading is a fundamental skill that is practiced every day. Getting kids interested in reading and loving to read can be difficult. Books like “The Cat in the Hat” and “One Fish, Blue Fish” by Dr. Suess have encouraged school-aged kids for decades to enjoy reading. In honor of the esteemed author’s birthday, March is National Reading Month to remind us of all the benefits of reading. Below is a list of ways to encourage your children to read this month.
Start a mini book club
A book club is the perfect way to not only bond with your children, but also challenge their critical thinking skills beneficial to discovering the book theme, improving comprehension and writing essays. It’s a special way to get your children excited to share their thoughts about a book with low effort and high impact. Visit your local library to pick a book you have never heard of before.
Read every night for at least thirty minutes
R&R—reading and rest. When you read every night before bedtime, our brains associate reading with resting. The exercise of reading helps strengthen our brain and quiet all other mental chatter to put us in a more relaxed state to have a good night’s sleep. The act of reading a bedtime story is a great way to get your children to enjoy books and have a peaceful sleep.
Set a reading goal
Whether the goal is reading for a specific amount of time during the day or a number of books each week, a measurable reading goal is a fun way to challenge your child and give them rewards for their hard work. If your child has a tablet or electronic device, consider downloading an app or program that tracks their reading progress. Find a list of apps here.
Encourage activities that require reading
When possible, have your child do the reading in everyday activities like reading a recipe to cook, a restaurant menu, building names, or have them read their homework instructions aloud. Another alternative is listening to audiobooks and podcasts while driving or at home during down-time.
Lead by example
Children often mimic our actions as adults. When you prioritize reading, your child will better understand that reading is a critical function of your household and the outer world. Practice reading aloud and follow along when they’re participating to show interest. Your example and what they’re learning in school are their first introductions to learning, so make sure they love to read inside and outside the classroom!
Screen time can be beneficial when used for the right reasons like learning. The tips mentioned above can be completed online or virtually with you or other friends and family. There are fewer physical textbooks in schools, so a balanced mix of hard-copy books and e-books is a current trend this National Reading Month. Downloading full-length books, audio files, apps and efficiently learning from home depends on your Internet speed, which is more crucial than ever. To fulfill your household’s reading and learning needs and wants, find out what speeds Great Plains Communications offers here.