Did you know that, according to the book Talk to Me, Baby, reading aloud to children not only stimulates cognitive and language skills, but it also builds curiosity, memory and motivation?
There are many family reading night activities you can take part in with your children in order to help them build their vocabulary and other skills in a fun, family friendly way. Here are three family reading night ideas for activities.
1. Offerings from Your Local School
If you look up “family reading night activities” on Google, it becomes apparent that there are many school programs aimed at helping children and their parents connect through reading. These literacy nights often encourage kids to act out scenes from the books they read together, play word bingo while reading, and give books as prizes for games. Some programs will also have helpful tips for parents on strategies for better word learning. It is worth looking into what your child’s school, or local libraries, might be offering.
2. Extended Bed Time Hours
If your child is old enough to read on their own, one way to encourage positive associations and reading practice is to offer a 15 or 20 minute extended bedtime if the child uses it to read. They feel like they’re getting away with something, when really, they are just getting extra reading practice! Remember though that inadequate light can strain eyes, so keep a strong lamp or overhead light on.
3. Set Aside Time Every Night
Get a comfortable spot and a good time of the evening, and plan on reading with your kids as often as you can. Reading is important. Simply exposing children to more words, and a repetition of the same words, helps them build their vocabulary, and begins lessons they will build on for the rest of their lives. If you find yourself bored by The Cat in the Hat, don’t be afraid to introduce your child to more complex, but interesting, texts. Even if they can’t always follow 100% of the nuances, they will likely enjoy Harry Potter as much as you do.
Have any ideas for family reading programs? Let us know in the comments!
