Holiday break is in full swing and even though children are taking a break from school to spend quality time with their families, they don’t have to take a break from reading.
While children are home for the holidays, reading specialist Dr. Marcia Bolton, director of student teaching at Widener University, encourages parents to continue reading to their children regularly and to have their children help with planning literacy activities throughout their vacation. She also suggests having children read for at least 30 minutes each day.
To keep you children reading over holiday break, Dr. Bolton offers the following tips that have worked for her family, including:
- Write notes to your children so they have to read the note, interpret it and comprehend its meaning. For example, leave a note out that reads, “Let’s make cookies together. Find a recipe, and bring it to me.”
- Try a variation of the “I Spy” game. If you go on a trip, have your children name things they see that begins with one letter of the alphabet or a specific sound. You can also have them identify two items that combine to make a new word. For example, a cow and a bell would create cowbell.
- Have your children gather information online about holiday traditions of various cultures. Have them interview family members about the origins of your own family’s holiday traditions. They can then report on what they’ve learned to their siblings, cousins, etc. This activity teaches social skills, main idea questioning, and oral language skills. Also, you are encouraging your child to take notes, which is a critical study skill.
Reading is a huge part of our daily routine and this is a good time to think outside of the box and come up with some creative ways to keep the kiddos reading. If your child thinks reading is a chore, check out this article on making your child a good reader.
