Teaching Kids to Love to Read

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I was fortunate to grow up in a house with lots of books to read.  As the daughter of an English teacher there were always books to read in my house and that was a great thing because I LOVED to read.  I remember getting in trouble in school because I would race through my schoolwork so I could pull out whatever book I had brought from home and read the next chapter–I loved to read that much.

Well, I want my kids to love to read as well and ever since they were born we have worked on building up a home library so that there is always a book to read, whatever their reading level or preferred genre of book is.

It can be tough to get kids to read though. There are lots of distractions for kids like electronics, sports and other activities so I have come up with some tips to get kids to read.

Tips for Teaching Your Kids to Love Reading

1. Read to them from an early age–even though you might think they aren’t getting anything from it or you get sick of reading the same book over and over again, when you read to your kids you are teaching them to love the written word, you are teaching them that words move a certain way across the page and you are teaching them that there is a fluency to reading.  Plus you get lots and lots of snuggle time!

Bonus tip: While you are reading out loud point at each word in the book as you are reading it so that you kids learn word recognition and letter sounds.  Over time they will be able to spot easy sight words and be able to read them themselves.

2. Make books readily available in your home–having books of all reading levels and types readily available in your home means that there is always something for your child to read when the mood strikes.

Bonus tip: If you don’t have the room or the  funds to fill your house with books from the bookstore then make trips to the library part of your weekly routine.  Allow your children to chose books that interest them, as well as some books for you to read as a family.  Books also make great gifts so ask friends and family members for books as gifts for birthdays and holidays.

3. Make reading fun– instilling the love of reading in children isn’t just about teaching them to read a book.  Make the act of learning to read fun by pointing out letters in magazines, on billboards and in stores.  When you see letters teach them both the letter name and how to say it phonetically.

4. Talk about books-  ask your child questions about the books that they are reading to get them excited and engaged in the book.  This is also a great way to make sure that they are fully comprehending the book that they are reading since being able to read and actually comprehending what they are reading are two different skills.

5. Practice what you preach– if you want your kids to learn to love to read then you must model that behavior for your kids.  If you turn off the TV and curl up with a good book of your own, chances are that they will curl up with their book as well.  Nothing better than some quiet time reading as a family.

With back to school season quickly approaching, I recently headed to Walmart to stock up on some favorite breakfast items to help fill my pantry before fall.  While there I was excited to see specially marked boxes of Kellogg’s products that offered a special code to get a free Scholastic book–perfect for adding to my home library!

One box of specially marked Kellogg’s products=one book and each person who signs up for a Kellogg’s Family Rewards account is able to redeem up to 30 books! Redeeming your free book is easy to do.

Here are some key points to know about redeeming your codes for books:

• You will need to sign up for a Kellogg’s Family Rewards account

• There are 3 ways you can upload your receipt, via text, via scanning into your computer or Kellogg’s Family Reward app – only when you purchase ONLINE between 7/21 – 9/11.
• You can also buy directly on Walmart.com and receive a free book from purchases made between 7/21/15 and 9/11/15. Look for Buy Now button here for a list of all eligible items. Ecommerce redemptions are made via receipt scanning.
• You have to redeem your code for a free Scholastic book within 14 days of purchase – no matter when you buy product, consumers have 14 days to redeem.

You can also redeem codes for books and have the books donated to the school of your choice.  Your donated book will ship directly to the school you chose in an envelope that says it was generously donated by your family.

Please note:  You may redeem codes for hard copy books OR e-books but e-books cannot be donated.  Spanish books are also available.

All books, whether you chose to have them mailed to you or donated arrive in 6-8 weeks although they often come sooner and they will be mailed free of charge.

Now you can have a quick and delicious breakfast and get free books for your home library or local school!

Next time you are out shopping at Walmart make sure to look for the specially marked boxes of Kellogg’s products.

 

With more than 80 titles to chose from there is something for everyone! What book will you be choosing for your child? Leave me a comment using  #Back2SchoolReady letting me know which book you are choosing!