From the moment you find out you are expecting, the importance of reading to and with your child is shoved in your face long before you even know the gender. The benefits of having a family reading plan are well-documented, but it’s hard to know the best way to start.
Twin Cities Kids Club is here to tell you to fear not. You don’t have to be overwhelmed (or underwhelmed) with ideas to begin or continue a love for reading. Join the club
now for great discounts, ideas for kid-friendly activities in the area, and current topics regarding family life today.
Age of Electronics
It’s no secret that electronics have started to play a significant role in many day-to-day activities. Long gone are the days of digging through encyclopedias for research, and it is not often that kids (gasp. Dare I say it?) read for fun. It’s hard to get limit the screen time when so many options are readily available.
The idea of sitting down with good reading material appears less and less on lists of fun activities. Our society offers many alternatives to reading, some of which may not be as beneficial or require very little brainpower to do so. Why turn to a book when you can turn on the TV?
For me growing up, reading was an escape. I dove into a book and into a world of wonder that made the impossible seem very tangent and real. What has happened since then? As parents, how do you sway your children into the idea that reading is beneficial and can be just as fun as video games or catching up on phone time?
Get Involved
One of the best ways that I have found to get your kids into reading is to read yourself. It’s not often that voicing your opinion regarding books is enough to inspire them to get a few more pages in.
Encourage your kids to pick out a book that you have and read it with them, allowing them to turn the pages or read aloud, even if just a word or two here and there. Making reading a bonding activity not only encourages reading but allows for it to be another bonding experience between parents and kids.
Make Books Accessible
Some of the top reasons why people don’t read include not knowing what to read or not having the time to read. While both of these can be valid reasons, often it comes down to whether or not books are easily accessible.
We live in a society immersed in instant gratification. What are you more likely to do when you have a spare te