20 minutes of reading

Research shows that when children read or are read to at least 20 minutes per day, their oral and written vocabulary increases along with their knowledge of different topics. As busy parents, I know that it is hard to find times to fit these 20 minutes into our day. The list below shares ideas on how you can find time for those 20 minutes of important reading time! How Do I Get My 20 Minutes? • Read during snack time • Keep a few books in the car • Make a set time to read aloud to your child􀂊 even if its for 5 minutes! • Add reading into transitions􀂊reading while you clean up lunch or finish getting ready to leave • Read everything! Signs, food boxes, magazines, etc. • Keep books by their bed • Have a set time for your child to read quietly to themselves • Play reading games􀂊hangman, Brain Quest, etc. • Read while you wait at a restaurant or doctor’s office. • Listen to stories online. Try Storyline Online! • Read activity books, such as cookbooks for kids or Klutz books. ©Lindy Cranfill

Keep reading!

With spring break right around the corner, I wanted to encourage all of our hard working Jefferson bears to continue reading each night...and even over school breaks! I often tell the students that, just like baseball and basketball players have to practice every day to get better, in order to become a better reader, the students need to practice every single day! As a parent with a busy household, I understand how difficult it can be to fit reading into an already jam-packed day...even during school breaks. The following article from www.rif.org gives some great ideas on how for reading into your family's day: Advice & Tips: Incorporating Reading Into Everyday Life It’s hard to find time as a family to sit down and read. Just dealing with every day life — school, work, sports and activities, chores, and friends — can leave barely enough time to get everything done, let alone read a book. However, a busy schedule can include time to read, even if there isn't time to read an entire book. Read on for some tips on sneaking reading into your daily routine. Morning If your family eats breakfast at the table, divide up the newspaper so everyone can read their favorite section. If your children are young or find it hard to eat and read, read aloud headlines and stories to them as they munch. Many families eat breakfast on the go. If this sounds familiar, then encourage your children to read the back of the cereal box as they pour or the packaging on their food wrappers. No matter how your children get to school — on foot, on the bus, or in a car — there are ways to get some quick reading in. Walkers can listen to a chapter of an audio book on a Walkman. Kids who ride the bus or are driven can read a magazine or comic book. This reading can be quick and fun, since kids have little time and a school day to face. Afternoon Serve your children their after-school snacks in a space that’s designated just for reading. Let them choose a light-hearted book, magazine, comic book, or catalogue as they eat and unwind from the school day. On the way to sports practice or other after-school activities, read out street signs, billboards, or storefront signs. Or have your child read aloud to you in the car as you drive. While cooking dinner, read aloud the recipe. Have your child read a story to you, including ones that he or she has written. As dinner cooks, sit down and read a chapter of a book together. While you’re adding ingredients or setting the table, begin telling a story together, taking turns adding the next part. Movies and TV time Before turning on the TV or a video game, spend 15 minutes reading together. This could be something short or a chapter of a longer book that you read everyday. Continuing stories could keep kids interested day-to-day. Mute the TV during commercials and read short snippets of articles or comic books until the show comes back on. Buy or borrow books on video games tips or tricks. Have your child read it for 10 minutes before starting a video game. If your TV allows for closed-captioning, turn it on and encourage your children to read along with the text. When you get a movie a few minutes early, read aloud the ads that show up on the screen before the previews. Have your child read to you as much of the ad as possible before the next one shows up. Evening/Bedtime After dinner, take your dessert into another room and read aloud. This can become an after-dinner ritual for the family. Too tired to read aloud? Then get the family together in the living room and put on a book-on-tape for 15 minutes. After an intense homework session, take 10 minutes to read a silly humor book or comic book. Read aloud in the bath — either you or your children can do the reading. Turn off the TV a half-hour early and read one chapter of a book.

Read Across America

This week we are celebrating the great children's book author, Theodor Geisl, otherwise known as Dr. Seuss. Dr. Seuss books are filled with rhyming words, silly story lines, and colorful illustrations. Children of all ages can enjoy hearing these books read aloud (some of the words are so silly that even adults have to take a second glance at them in order to read the text correctly!) and also reading the simple, repetitive texts to themselves. The following tips for reading with your children come from: http://www.seussville.com/Parents/tips_reading_child.php Developing a love for reading begins at home, and Dr. Seuss’s words and pictures will make it fun for you and your child. Get started with the tips below. Pick a comfortable spot to read in - one with plenty of light. Make it a routine - whether it's right before the breakfast, or right before bed, set aside a special time every day. Give lots of encouragement! Read the words aloud to your child. Point to the pictures. Say the words together. Laugh with your child. It's never too early. Reading can be a bonding activity for you and your new baby. Introduce reading in the very beginning, keep books in the nursery and have your books out for baby and toddler to see! The fun continues after the last page! When you finish a story, ask your child about his/her favorite passages, characters, and illustrations. Imagine that! Encourage your child to make up another character that might appear in the book. What would it look like? What would it say? What would you call it? Letters and words are here, there, and everywhere! Dr. Seuss was a master of words, real and imagined. When you’re driving with your child along a familiar route, read the signs aloud. Make your next trip to the grocery store an interactive one—read the names of food items aloud with your child. Make up new ones! Age ranges on Dr. Seuss series are simply a guide that will get you started. Once you see what your child is comfortable with, pick new books as necessary.