I’m up and going by 6:00 a.m. and the kids are busy by 7:30, getting ready for school. After squeezing in a day of work, it’s 3:30 p.m., I’m picking up the kids and we’re off to after-school activities. We’re home in time for that all-important family dinner, then it’s time for homework and cleaning up. By 9:00 p.m., we’re still not done for the day as we try to cram in that required reading, just before turning out the lights for bed.
Regular reading is important. Statisticians continually tout its importance, but for young people who don’t always choose reading as one of their top 10 preferred activities, getting through it every week can be a challenge.
Parents know we need to create a routine for reading, and allow our children to choose what books interest them and support their efforts. There are numerous fun and easy ways to rev up required reading time.
Read Aloud
Your child could read to you, but she could also read to a sibling, a neighbor, a grandparent or even a family pet. It’s amazing how exciting reading can be when there is a purpose to it or when you’re showing off your know-how.
Bring Stories to Life
Another way to make the required reading more fun is to read books that you can then see performed live at a local theater. As you read the story, the anticipation of seeing it performed on stage builds. You can talk to your child about how they think parts of the story will be done on stage. And getting the story completed prior to seeing it can be a big motivator for your young reader. To do this will take a bit of planning on your part— finding out what is scheduled to play that season at your local youth theaters, and then selecting plays that are based upon books or have a companion book.
Read E-Books
Add fun to your young reader’s weekly reading routine with an e-book downloaded from the Internet and read on your computer or a handheld e-book reading device. Many publishers now offer e-books in addition to printed books. If your kids love the computer as much as mine do, e-books will be a huge hit. Find e-books for children at Childrenslibrary.org or Tumblebooks.com.
Start a Book Club
Another way to encourage more reading time is to help your child create a book club with his friends. Book clubs provide companionship, and for some reluctant readers, that’s all it takes to get fired up. The book club could be a kids-only discussion, a parent/child group to discuss books together, or the parents and children can discuss books separately and then share their different thoughts and conclusions.
You’ll need to create some discussion guidelines: how often the club will meet, how long the meetings will last and how to be respectful of different opinions. Invite your child to take the lead in making many of the decisions, so what starts as your idea quickly becomes the children’s group.
As a parent of two elementary school children, I know that the busy schedule is here to stay, but amidst all of the driving and spelling tests these are some things I can do to keep my less-than-avid readers excited about their required reading time, making it a pleasant experience for all of us!
---------------------------
Christine D’Amico is the author of The Pregnant Woman’s Companion and Higgledy-Piggledy.
