Celebrate National Book Month!

October is National Book Month! This is the perfect time to honor books and what could be better than reading together as a family. A loving routine at the end of the day that allows parents and kids to make bedtime a special time, to share favorite stories and books, to talk, and be together is a wonderful opportunity to spend some quality time with your children.

Parents, here are a few tips to help you get started.

Start small.
Remember, big journeys start with one step.

Take turns reading.
One night you read, the next your child reads. Or switch reading every couple of paragraphs or pages.

Read with expression.
Let the stories come to life. Encourage kids to read with lively expression. Let them see the excitement books contain.

Choose compelling books.
Let your child select some books and perhaps choose some yourself. Recommend some of your favorites from when you were a child.

Celebrate.
When you’re done with a book, write its title and author on a link in a construction paper chain and festoon the walls with your accomplishments. Draw pictures of your favorite characters.

Make an audio book.
Tape yourselves reading. Send the recording to Grandma, who will swoon. Recording can also be your “substitute” if you have to be away for a night – although nothing is as good as your presence.

Get ideas from other parents.
What are they reading in their homes? What books and stories are other kids interested in? What recommendations can you give to and get from other parents?

Get ideas from teachers.
What types of books are popular at school? What books would supplement what teachers are teaching in social studies, art, or science classes? What do the reading teacher and librarian suggest?

The nice thing about routines is that once they’re started they become a part of your life, comforting and safe.

Summer Reading Tips

It’s summer again, time for changing the routines of the school year and slowing down a little. It’s also a great time to encourage or indulge a love of reading.
Today, I’m sharing the thoughts of one of my favorite educators, a Sylvan Learning Center franchisee who’s not only a teacher but the mother of five – if those aren’t qualifications for keeping kids busily happy and learning and having fun during the summer, I don’t know what is.

Colleen Dunlavy, of the Chicago suburb of Homewood, has some great ideas for family reading tips. She shared these with me not long ago, and now I want to pass them on to you. They’re among the best I’ve seen.

1. Allow kids to read what they like. Pick book topics that relate to their interests. Try heading to the library at least once a week and if your kids are young, look for times when they may have a guest reader to read to a group of kids.

2. Offer a variety of publications (magazines, newsletters, books, etc.) so kids can make their own literary choices. Availability is key. Try Highlights for younger children, for teens and tweens tweens try finding magazines by their interests.

3. Encourage your kids to read everything and read aloud – food labels, movie disclaimers, street signs, store names, music lyrics, restaurant menus, etc.

4. Make mail time fun. Give young readers “junk mail” and ask them to circle the words that they recognize. Become the family’s mailman. Ask your child to read the names printed on the mail and have him or her “deliver” the mail to the specific family members.

5. Ensure books are always on –hand. Keep books in each car, at the house, at the homes of family members, etc. This ensures that a child can amuse himself or herself if a sibling’s sports practice is running late or if you are caught in traffic.

6. Schedule “library time.” Just as a family schedules swimming practice, set a specific time aside for visiting the library.

7. Create a book-on-tape. Encourage your child to read a book aloud and tape it. As a special gift or surprise, send the book-on-tape to a loved one with a special message.

8. Write your name in your books. When children write their names in their books, it gives the child ownership. Store the books in a special place to create a personal library.

9. Read before bedtime. Reading is relaxing. Allow your child to stay up 15 minutes later each night – as long as he/she is reading.

10. Read aloud to your children. No matter the age of the child, reading together can create a lasting family memory.