Create Family Reading Habits and Traditions

How do you compete with televisions and video games?  Children today have a lot of devices calling them, enticing them.  But if you start early (although its never too late to start), you can build reading into children's lives.  Here are a smattering of ideas to help you with developing reading habits that will carry your children into adulthood.  It will aid them at all stages of their life with academics, focus, theoretical thinking, creativity building, and empathy towards others.  All of which will be critical as they grow older.

Reading aloud to the little squirts is the most basic concept.  If you are fortunate to start early, then start with the baby bump and read aloud to your child at this stage.  This would be good right before bedtime to settle in and start that habit.  Get that habit instilled before birth and you are ahead of the game!

Once the baby is born, keep up the habit.  It may require a bit more flexibility with newborns and may be only a few minutes of reading, but it will be worth it.  Middle of the night feedings are rough, but perhaps after its changed and while/after feeding it may be a good time to slip in a short nursery rhyme or two read aloud.  As your children grow older, an established routine helps even during the terrible twos.  Flexibility is still key since some children have more attention span than others.  

Keep books available to children at all times, whether that is a soft book for infants and toddlers, board books, or early chapters books.  When the children have their own rooms, even one bookshelf with books readily available makes a difference.  There are even books designed for tub-time called bath books!  That is perfect to get children used to books as natural in their lives.

Library trips can be made into a special time.  Keep up with your libraries children's section and if they have story times or other programs you can bring your kids to participate.  This makes books and reading special and reinforces with other children that are modeling a love for books.  Encourage your child to keep a list of books they want to check out to read.  Make it a big deal when a book can be marked off the list!

Its best if you can set a specific time for reading together, whether everyday or on certain days.  It may start as only fifteen minutes and evolve into thirty minutes after the habit is well developed.  It is still best to read aloud to them, unless they ask to do the reading for you.  

I read where a mother always had a book on hand, at first a small board book in her purse and later digital on her phone.  When out in pubic and her child would get restless in a line waiting, she would take out her book and read aloud to her child.  She would have others in line smile as her child focused on the story rather than her restlessness get out of hand.  It may not work for every child, but its worth a try, especially if you have started them early with reading.

Taking the story and getting interactive is always great with children.  This may not be for every story, just the special ones, but try dressing up and playing the characters.  Don't forget dressing up as a favorite character for Halloween.  For years there were scores of  Harry, Ron, and Hermiones at Halloween. 

Another way to get interactive is with some dolls or stuffed animals to play the characters.  If you are really crafty, you can make some basic hand or sock puppets with your kids and dress them to act out some scenes from the book.  

Speaking of crafts, you could create holiday ornaments by photocopying (reduced size) the covers of favorite books and use Mod Podge to adhere to a form from a hobby store like Michaels.  You could also create a "Have Read" poster for their room with small photocopies of the books they've read glued onto the poster. They can stick on stars for how good they thought each book was.

Another great interactive idea is field trips related to the book.  If you read a book on dinosaurs, a trip to a nature museum within driving distance would be a good tie-in.  If you read a book on astronauts, find out if you have a local astronomy group for a star gazing session.  Go to a ballet if you read a book on ballerinas (or a video of the ballet).  The Nutcracker is great for children and you can usually find it being performed in December.  Any books on local history might have a local spot related to the topic.

Give books as gifts for holidays, birthdays, and rewards which places a value on them.  Of course, buying books on something they are interested in is best.

Children always have questions about why things are a certain way, so find a book or children's magazine to answer the questions.  Ranger Rick is great for animal and nature questions.  The library usually has a great selection to help you out.

Don't forget older kids - Harry Potter saw many tween kids and teens reading the books with their parents and enjoying them as a family.

When your child needs to read aloud at school, it can be stressful for them.  A great way to ease those nerves is to encourage your child to read to a pet. Some schools even have programs where dogs or cats come in just for the kids to read to them. Sometimes it is the local shelter that offers Book Buddies.  Pets are non-judgemental and make children feel accepted reading aloud. 

As your child gets older, the competition for their attention is greater.  I heard of a parent who, rather than an allowance, gave five dollars for each book (age appropriate length and page amount) that their son completed.  The boy thought it was easy money and the parents felt it was the best investment.  You could do your own amount depending on the age of the child and your budget.

Best of all is for you to be an example, let them see you place importance on your own reading and share how you enjoy what you read.  My family talked about the books we were reading at the dinner table.  If you make it a priority, they will often follow that example. 

Create a family TBR list and keep a record of the books you have read together.  This creates excitement for what's next to read and a sense of accomplishment with each book finished.

It may be a challenge at times, but instilling a reading habit early will reap life long rewards.

Here is a full instruction video of how to make basic sock puppets.  It is long because it is a craft instruction video.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F4ZOvJuQbMI