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ACTIVITIES & CRAFTSCreating lifelong readers takes more than just a reading log and a book. It takes habit-building and real fun!
Reading with your children can be a great way to not only create a lasting bond but also develop the skills and confidence they need for life. By strengthening this vital skill, you can help your child’s reading development, give them a sense of accomplishment and deepen the connection between you and your child.
Download the Free Printable Reading Log and Activity Guide
Read on for tips and ideas about how to make reading together every day an enriching experience and download our printable reading log for free.
Our “Reading Together Everyday” workbook includes a guide for making a reading plan with your child, brainstorming different types of books, comprehension activities like summary pages and drawing activities, and perhaps most important, a free printable reading log to keep track of your child’s reading accomplishments!
Benefits of Reading with Your Children
Reading together as a family is a great way to build a close bond with your children and an even better way to instill a love of learning from an early age. Reading with your children on a daily basis helps promote a variety of skills, including improving their literacy skills, teaching them about the world around them, and sparking their imaginations.
Reading allows your children to explore different cultures, places, and experiences that they may otherwise not be exposed to. When you read with your children, you can discuss the topics at hand which can lead to further conversations and help them build a broader understanding of what’s happening in the world. Reading can also help children develop important skills like problem-solving, creativity, and empathy.
It’s important to read with your children regularly as it allows them to improve their language skills and become more confident readers. Reading aloud gives them a chance to learn new words and understand them better. It also provides an opportunity for them to practice and understand proper sentence structure, pronunciation and intonation. By reading with your children, you provide them with an environment to be curious and ask questions, which can help them form a lifelong love of learning.
Use a reading log to build confidence and create a visual of their success
By documenting the books that your children read with a reading log, you can help them to build confidence in their reading abilities. As your child finishes each book, read through it with them and discuss what they liked and disliked about it. This will help them to articulate their thoughts and feelings and gain a better understanding of the story.
When you keep track of the books your children have read, they will be able to look back and see how far they have come and how much they have read. Having a record of the books they have read can also serve as a source of encouragement when they face difficult books or concepts. This can help them to stay motivated and encouraged to continue reading. Additionally, by writing reviews of the books they have read, they can develop critical thinking skills and gain a deeper appreciation for different types of literature.
Making Reading Fun
Creating a fun and inviting environment for reading can help your children to develop a lifelong love of reading. Allow your children to choose the books that interest them and make sure they are reading something that is appropriate for their age and skill level. Ask them questions throughout the story and encourage them to ask you questions as well.
Ways to Make Reading with Your Child Fun and Stressfree:
- Set a time for reading together every day that works for you both.
- Brainstorm a list of books your child would be interested in reading. Use our free printable reading log and activity guide for this!
- Keep track of your child’s reading progress and celebrate their successes. <— Did I mention our free reading log?
- Make reading time fun and interactive by coming up with creative ideas to engage your child.
- Share your favorite childhood books with your child.
- Incorporate fun activities like games and art into the books you are reading together. There are activities included in the reading printable!
Another way to make reading fun is to incorporate music and art into your reading sessions. Play background music to set the tone for the story and then, after reading, you can have your children draw a picture related to the story or write a poem. You can also use props and costumes to bring the story to life. All these activities help give your children a creative outlet to express themselves and help them to remember the stories better.
Reading has many valuable benefits, both for you and your child. By spending quality time together every day to read, you can help your child develop a love of reading, build their confidence, and gain the skills they need to reach success in their lives. So grab a book, snuggle up, and get ready to make lasting memories with your little reader.
