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| Ages & Stages |
6/1/2008 |
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| Ages 6-10: Fun Ways to Keep Kids Reading |
| Written by: |
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Lynn M. Dean |
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Just because children have breaks from school doesn’t mean they shouldn’t keep their noses nestled between the pages of a good book. But if you have a more active child, one who is hard to pin down, you may be searching for other ways to keep him reading when school isn’t in session. To engage your child, remember that reading extends beyond opening a storybook.
Almost every aspect of life involves reading. Capitalize on some of these other literacy opportunities. Here are fun ways to encourage reading:
* Open a cookbook. Creating a favorite snack or dessert requires reading. Pick a recipe you know your child likes to eat and have him prepare it with you. Encourage your child to read the recipe out loud as you follow his directions. Or, if she is old enough, allow her to do the cooking while you supervise.
* Order dinner. The next time you go out to eat, encourage your child to read the menu and order for himself. Help her find the kids’ menu if it’s included as part of the regular menu. Read the other things around you, too.
* Play a game. Take a look at what’s buried in your game closet and break out a favorite. Although all board games require reading skills to follow the directions and read the game cards, some, like Scrabble, actually encourage word skills. Take a look at what you have with an eye toward word skills.
* Visit a local museum. A wealth of information hides inside all museums, large or small. In addition to reading the plaques and narratives describing the exhibits, your child can learn about the history of the area and prominent historical figures who influenced it. If the museum has a gift shop, you often can find books and other reading materials that may interest your child.
* Write letters. Help your child write to friends and relatives who live in other parts of the country. Encourage writing a traditional “snail mail” letter. Or spark a child’s interest in writing by communicating electronically with e-mail. Cousin Sue and Grandma Peggy are sure to write back, which means more reading and more writing, and the cycle continues.
* Go grocery shopping together. Have your child help you make a list of the supplies you need. Read the sale ads together to find the best deals. At the market, let your child help you select the proper foods from the shelves. Have her read the labels. Which product is cheaper? (Why not throw in some math, too?) What are the ingredients in the ice cream? Does everything have sugar?
* Build a model. It doesn't matter whether it is a train, airplane, automobile, boat, spacecraft or dollhouse. Getting the pieces in the right spot requires reading the directions. Where do you start? What color are the wings?
* Surf the Internet. Where do you want to go? Decide what you want to learn about and use a search engine such as Google to narrow the options. Consider questions such as: What is the temperature where Grandma lives? What killed the dinosaurs? What was the score of last night's baseball game? What is a favorite player’s batting average? Define a search and read the descriptions in the results. As you and your child explore the different sites, you will be reading along the way.
* Interview relatives. Ask Grandma, Grandpa or a cousin close in age about the books they like to read. Older relatives can also recommend classics they enjoyed as children. When Mom suggests a book, "It's too boring.” But when 8-year-old Samuel tells your child about the same "great book he read," suddenly she's interested.
* Subscribe to children's magazines. Each time one comes in the mail, your youngster will take a break to stop and read it -- if you pick the right one. Just like adults, children enjoy a variety of reading materials. There are many different magazines out there targeted for school-age children.
* Put on a puppet play. Your child can spend an entire day working on this project. First make puppets out of old socks or lunch sacks. Then have children write the script and put on a performance for the rest of the family that evening.
These are just a few of the reading activities hidden in our everyday world. Reading is part of life. Make sure it is part of your child's life, too.
Lynn Dean is a Colorado writer and the mother of three children. She can be contacted at www.LynnMDean.com
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