Mad for Reading

Word Love

2013-05-04T08:20:00.000-04:00

Help build your preschooler's vocabulary by emphasizing the names for things. Labeling the objects around him will encourage him to be facile with words. For example, if you pass a dump truck, name it and then talk about the function of the truck and how it may have gotten its name.

Get playful. Make up a riddle to encourage interest in and enthusiasm for words. For example, “What do we call that round yummy circle that tastes good with milk? Right! A cookie.” Then have your child make his own riddle for you to guess.

Get silly. Throw in some rhymes. If you pass a cow, call out “Now, cow!” or “Wow, cow!” or even “Bow-wow, cow!” Words are fun to play with, so get in the game!

Talk About Titles

2013-04-28T21:27:00.000-04:00

After you finish reading a book together, ask your preschooler why he thinks the author chose that particular name for the book. For example, you might ask, “Do you think Corduroy is a good name for this book? Why or why not?” Have your child try to explain his opinion. You can ask questions to help him think about the reasons. For example, you could say, “Lisa is the girl in the book. Why do you think that the author didn’t name this book Lisa?” Then, ask your preschooler, “Can you think of another title that would be good for this book?” Have some fun together, coming up with some alternative titles. In addition to having fun, you are helping your preschooler think analytically--a thinking skill that will be ctitical to his academic success in the years to come.

Family Reading . . . Mix It Up

2013-04-13T08:38:00.000-04:00

We've all heard about the advantages of families sitting down together for an evening meal. Reading together is also an excellent idea. And there are endless combinations possible for family reading. Parents read to children. Grandparents read to children. Even an older sibling can read with your preschooler.

But think out of the box. Have your preschooler read to his baby sister or brother. He will feel very grown up. No baby around? How about your family’s pet? Many dogs will welcome the petting and attention that accompanies your child’s rendition of his favorite story book. Try eavesdropping. You may be amused at your child’s interpretation of a book when he is the reader-in-charge.

Be Resourceful

2013-04-06T07:27:00.000-04:00

It is beginning to feel like spring!
As you drive or walk by yard, garage, or sidewalk sales, be on the lookout for tables of children’s books. Many people empty their shelves of toys and books as their children outgrow them. Buying secondhand books can be an inexpensive way to build your child’s library.

On the flip side, if you have books that your children have outgrown or you want to pass along, give them to friends, libraries, hospitals, schools, day care centers, and so on. Share those books!

Be Part of the Story

2013-02-22T06:35:00.000-05:00

It is not too late to join in the excitement of World Read Aloud Day on March 6. Make plans to read aloud with your child's class or at a local bookstore or library. Or read to a group of children at home. Check out this page for ideas for how you can participate.

http://litworld.org/worldreadalouddayactivities/

Please take moment to see this video, which shows scenes from last year's celebration of World Read Aloud Day.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n54cy97V-Ms

Words change worlds. Be part of the story.

Meet LitWorld!

2013-02-16T08:18:00.003-05:00

LitWorld is a nonprofit organization committed to promoting literacy worldwide. In future posts I will tell you about their annual event, called World Read Aloud Day, which is scheduled for March 6. But first, read about this amazing organization and its work (http://litworld.org/).

In LitWorld's own words . . . .

Our Mission: LitWorld is a non-profit literacy organization fostering resilience, hope, and joy through the power of story.
Our programs and campaigns build self confidence, promote leadership, and strengthen children and their communities. LitWorld's LitClub and LitCamp programming cultivate a new generation of leaders, storytellers and academic achievers, effecting change for themselves, their community, and their world. Our campaigns mobilize children and adults from around the world to advocate for literacy as a human right that belongs to all people.
Literacy is the foundation for emotional and physical well-being, intellectual growth, and economic security. The right to read and write is a fundamental human right and belongs to all people.
Worldwide at least 793 million people remain illiterate. Two-thirds of them are women. All over the world, children are hungry for learning and for the power it brings. Research shows that children learn to read and write best by writing and telling the stories of their own experiences. Yet it is rare to find safe spaces where children feel fully comfortable to do so.
LitWorld is changing that.
LitWorld stands on three core pillars: Advocacy, Education and Innovation. These pillars together create a complete approach to how we can impact outcomes for the world’s children and help them reach adulthood as readers and writers.

What will LitWorld Accomplish?
By 2014: Help one million children learn to read.
By 2016: Equip ten thousand literacy leaders to effect change that will impact ten million children across the globe.

These are words changing worlds.

Spread Book Love on February 14

2013-02-06T06:11:00.001-05:00

Have you heard about International Book Giving Day? It is a nonprofit initiative, described this way:

"A day dedicated to getting new, used, and borrowed books in the hands of as many kids as possible."

It is taking place on February 14, 2013 . . .Valentines Day! Check out the website for ideas on how you can participate. http://bookgivingday.com/

Even if you don't get on board, at the very least, think about the valentines you are giving to your loved ones, especially your young children. This year, forget the chocolate. Offer books.

Send this message: books = love

A book holds a house of gold.
— Chinese Proverb

Make Reading Sense-sational!

2013-01-29T20:54:00.000-05:00

Here are some ideas for enhancing your reading time with your preschooler. Add special effects!

If you are reading about a camping trip, set up a little tent and read by flashlight.

Reading about picking apples? Chew on crisp apples as you read.

Honk a horn when you read about cars and trucks.

Play classical music when you read a ballet story.

Adding the senses to your reading time makes the book more memorable and allows you to create a unique shared experience with your child.

Be the Reading Role Model

2013-01-15T19:43:00.000-05:00

Scholastic has just released its annual Kids and Family Reading Report. I was struck by the following excerpt:

"Having reading role-model parents or a large book collection at home has more of an impact on kids’ reading frequency than does household income." - Scholastic Kids and Family Reading Report

Be that role model! What matters is that you show your child that reading is important. Besides having books, newspapers, magazines, e-readers all around your home, be explicit. Point out to your young child what, when, why, and how you are reading. Tell your child that you are searching for the latest score of your favorite team, looking for the perfect roast chicken recipe . . . Or admit that you simply need a book to read to wind down from your busy day. Make it clear that reading matters to you.

Make your home one that is rich in words.

Name It!

2013-01-08T20:44:00.003-05:00

One way to build your preschooler's vocabulary is to emphasize the names for things. For example, if you pass a fire engine, talk about its function and how it may have gotten its name.

Be playful. Make up a riddle to encourage interest in and enthusiasm for words. For example, “What do we call that round yummy circle that tastes good with milk? Right! A cookie.” Then have your child make up his own riddle for you to guess.

Words = Fun!

Two Happy New Year Resolutions

2012-12-31T12:06:00.001-05:00

As 2012 draws to a close, many of us think about how we want to improve our lives in the coming year. Here are two related ideas for you to consider:

First, make one of your resolutions the promise to read more—whether books, e-readers, newspapers, magazines—for pleasure . . . for yourself. Fiction or nonfiction? It doesn’t matter. Rediscover for yourself how rewarding it is to spend time with the written word.

Second, make a commitment to read to your young child every day, even for a few minutes. Your renewed enthusiasm for reading will be contagious. It is a win-win situation.

Happy New Year!

Read and Share: Amazing Book List

2012-12-10T20:22:00.003-05:00

The New York Public Library shared its amazing list of books to read and share. Here is the link:

http://www.nypl.org/collections/nypl-recommendations/lists/childrens2012

How many do you still have to discover? Enjoy!

It's Take Your Child to a Bookstore Day!

2012-12-01T08:58:00.005-05:00

Have you heard about Take Your Child to a Bookstore Day? It is today, December 1.

The idea, as explained by its founder, Jennifer Milchman, is to expose children to the possibilities that bookstores hold. Milchman noticed how her own children were thrilled by the excitement of entering and exploring bookstores. She began to make it an official event. The movement has grown.

Today, with so many different options for reading, in order for bookstores to flourish it is important to expose new generations to the potential that lies within the shelves. Milchman's website shows the hundreds of bookstores across the country that are participating. Take some time today to take your children--or grandchildren--to a bookstore!

http://www.takeyourchildtoabookstore.org/

Simple Holiday Shopping

2012-11-30T07:05:00.003-05:00

If you are pondering what kinds of gifts to buy for young children in your life, don’t overlook the obvious: books! No child can have too many books. And if people ask you what your own children need, tell them: books. As gifts, books are easy to wrap, inexpensive to ship, and can provide hours and hours of joy.

Books were my pass to personal freedom. I learned to read at age three, and soon discovered there was a whole world to conquer that went beyond our farm in Mississippi.

-Oprah Winfrey

It's Book Friday

2012-11-23T09:18:00.001-05:00

As you start your holiday shopping--or make lists and plans to shop--consider buying books for everyone on your list. Personal, thoughtful, portable, and relatively inexpensive, books are a perfect gift for young and old. Is your three-year old obsessed with dinosaurs? Feed that obsession! Is your mother-in-law an avid gardener or a marathon runner? There will be books to provide inspiration. Browse the shelves or the pages of your favorite online retailer. And maybe gift yourself while you are at it. Happy shopping!

What I am Reading Next

2012-11-14T20:45:00.001-05:00

The next book on the very the top of my nightstand book stack is Book Love by Melissa Taylor. It will be published next month, but is already available if you have a Kindle. Check out the link to Amazon at the bottom of this post. Here is a description of the book.

In Book Love: Help Your Child Grow from Reluctant to Enthusiastic Reader award-winning educator and parent Melissa Taylor gives busy parents of kids ages three to ten engaging, playful, out-of-the box ideas for growing a reader, assisting kids who are learning to read, and gently encouraging reluctant readers. Just a few of the many helpful insights and strategies she shares include:

• The most common reasons why kids find it hard to learn to read or may hate to read (too boring, too tricky, too blurry, too “sitty”)—and what to do about them

• Activities and product recommendations to facilitate letter recognition, rhyming, sight word skills, phonics, and fluency

• Approaches for improving word attack and reading comprehension

• Book lists organized by kids’ interests

• Printable sight word flashcards and word strategy bookmarks

Packed with practical, bite-sized ideas that get children reading and loving books, Book Love can be your go-to guide for reading help for kids.

Link for Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00A2CCY1E

Halloween Reading: Picture Books!

2012-10-20T08:35:00.000-04:00

Here is one of my favorite book lists, and I offer it just in time for Halloween. If you are concerned about Halloween books being too scary for your preschooler, this list of picture books may be just what you need. The reviewer is a mom, and she has annotated each book so you can get a sense of whether it sounds right for your child. Here is the link:

http://www.flashlightworthybooks.com/The-Best-Picture-Books-about-Not-So-Scary-Monsters/72

Celebrate Early Literacy Awareness Week

2012-08-04T07:08:00.000-04:00

One of my favorite literacy organizations, Read Out and Read, is celebrating its 4th annual Early Literacy Awareness Week. Held in conjunction with National Health Center Week, the week of August 5-12 is a time that Reach Out and Read makes a special effort to encourage families to foster a love of reading in young children and prepare them for success in school. During this week, Reach Out and Read works to raise public awareness about the importance of early exposure to books in order to prepare children to succeed in school and help them develop a lifelong love of reading.

Join in the celebration of Early Literacy Awareness Week, too: Read to a child in your life!

Road Trip!

2012-08-03T08:10:00.001-04:00

Is your family planning a getaway by car this summer? Are you dreading the hours of crankiness and complaints from your preschooler? Be sure to stop at the library for audio books that will keep your preschooler entertained. As she listens to her favorite stories, the miles will fly by—and getting to your destination will be a pleasure.

Celebrate Independence With Words!

2012-07-03T07:21:00.000-04:00

Many families gather with friends or other relatives on the 4^th of July. Your preschooler is likely to enjoy the get-togethers and traditions, which may include watching fireworks and grilling a meal. Holidays and other family times are important to him. Encourage him to talk about and describe what he experiences. Better yet, have him dictate his impressions while you record them and perhaps suggest that he draw pictures of the festivities. Encourage him to recall the sounds, sights, and tastes—the boom, boom, boom of the fireworks, the bright and fleeting explosions of colors in the sky, the cold and creamy ice cream treat. You are helping your young child find the words to describe the exciting world he inhabits.

Read Aloud Through Daily Activities

2012-06-02T08:39:00.000-04:00

Use every opportunity point out to your preschooler how often you read—and how much it is part of getting through your day. If you are in a supermarket, read aloud a product's name, the ingredients it contains, and even suggested recipe ideas. Show your preschooler the work you are doing from home —maybe pointing our your name on a memo. Cooking together? Show your preschooler the recipe you are following, reading aloud the ingredients and amounts. Show him the sports scores from last night’s game as you search on your screen or in the sports section of a newspaper. By reading aloud these pieces of information you are reinforcing the message that reading is the key to navigating the world.

L is for Library

2012-05-23T06:22:00.000-04:00

If you haven't introduced your preschooler to your local library, this is a wonderful time to do that. Many libraries have special children's programs on the summer, including storytellers and activities planned around selected books. Some libraries are fortunate enough to have librarians who are dedicated to the children who visit--and are knowledgeable about children's literature. They can help you and your child navigate the shelves for books that might be appealing. Many libraries have comfortable spaces made for reading and enjoying books in a relaxed fashion. And libraries are free. What an easy and inexpensive way to get out of the house and spend a pleasant morning or afternoon.

Read this Book!

2012-05-07T06:18:00.000-04:00

Parents, here is a book that will rock your world--and that of your children.

Mike Lanza, father of there young boys, realized something was very different about children's lives today compared with the way he grew up. He recalled unstructured play time--making up games and rules, building tree houses and forts, playing pick-up ball. Naturally, Lanza realized that things have changed. Today's parents are concerned about dangers of abduction; children are shuttled to organized activities, such as sports, dance, karate; homework is onerous. And of course, the screens of television, computers, and game players are enticing and addictive.

However, Mike Lanza wanted more for his children. He realized the value of unstructured play in his own life and in children's development. Children need to engage in unstructured play to develop leadership skills, learn to negotiate with others, and experience physical and emotional freedom. So he took action. He figured out how to carve out the play space needed for his family and neighborhood. And in Playborhood:Turn Your Neighborhood Into a Place for Play, Mike Lanza tells what he did, and how he did it. In addition, he offers a range of case studies from different settings--urban, rural, and suburban. Step by step, in his very readable style, he gives the information and inspiration parents need to create safe play spaces in their neighborhoods.

With Playborhood as your guide, you can provide your children and your neighborhood with an environment that will offer a safe place for unstructured play. That is truly a gift that all children deserve . . . and need.

http://www.amazon.com/Playborhood-Turn-Your-Neighborhood-Place/dp/0984929819

http://playborhood.com/

Read This Piece!

2012-05-03T19:50:00.002-04:00

I want to share a link with you. This link will take you to a Q & A is written by Pam Allyn, Executive Director and founder of LitWorld. Pam talks about the reasons it is so important to read aloud to your child. From helping your child appreciate and enjoy language to building reading skills to simply enjoying the closeness of sharing a story, the reasons are clear. Please take a look. If you need that little push or reminder about why reading aloud is so important, here it is.

http://www.pbs.org/parents/experts/archive/2012/05/raise-a-lifelong-reader-by-rea.html

Your Turn!

2012-05-02T20:15:00.001-04:00

It is time to turn the table. Have your preschooler tell the story. Pull out a familiar storybook. Instead of reading to your preschooler, try something different. Ask her to read to you. She might retell the story, echoing the words she has heard you read aloud in the past. You might even recognize your own intonation or deliberate pauses, informal asides. Or she might tell a completely different story, embellishing the plot with her own imagination. No matter how she chooses to handle this situation, you are empowering her to be a storyteller. She is driving the narrative. Sit back and enjoy the ride.