Making Reading Routine

Happy summer everyone! I'm diverging from our regularly scheduled blogging about books to give a quick PSA of ideas for  making reading part of your child's daily routine. I promise to keep it short!

1. Morning Reading: Electronics are all the rage and thoughts of finding the next Pokémon is what many kids are waking up to today. Try scheduling morning reading first... right when they wake up. For kids who don't enjoy reading as much, it's a great way to get those reading minutes in and out of the way. Kind of like how I feel about exercise.

2. Mid-day Quiet Time: You're welcome for this one. It doubles and a mom/dad time-out, too. We all need to recharge to get through the day so after lunch schedule some time for your kids to have quiet reading time in their room. I know summer is busy so this one is for those days that you are home.

3. Secret Reading Spots: Have your child find a special secret reading spot. Maybe it's a closet and they need a flashlight to read? Maybe they build a reading fort or sneak behind a chair.

4. Magazines: Reading doesn't have to be just books! There are great children's magazines available that some kids may find more appealing or a nice change from a narrative story. Depending on the age of your child, High Five, Highlights, and Stone Soup are just a few my kids love.

5. Visit Your Local Library: Have a reluctant reader? Try to find a non-fiction topic they find fascinating and then take a trip to the library. Even better, try to make a library visit part of your weekly/bi-weekly routine.

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