Simple Ideas to Raise a Reader!

Books are a great resource for leading lessons. When our full-day preschool teacher, Ms. Angi, was struggling with many of her friends being “tattletales,” she chose to read “A Bad Case of Tattle Tongue.” Ms. Angi read the book aloud, encouraging her friends to listen carefully and when she finished, they had a group discussion. Every child interpreted and understood the book slightly different, but each came away with the same core message: learning the difference between tattling and telling. What a fun and clever way to address the topic in a way children understand!

Mrs. Petersen also uses books to explain tough topics in her room. She uses the Crayon Book Series in her Junior Kindergarten class to teach her friends big concepts, such as, obligation vs. self-interest. Should we be able to ignore our duties and obligations just because we want to? These are important concepts to discuss, and you can imagine the thoughts and opinions our young friends have about this! These books have been a great way to start a conversation—through humor and colorful illustrations. 

If reading is not already a part of your daily routine—it’s not too late! Adding a book to your nighttime routine is an easy, steady, and calming way to slow down. In my house, our nighttime routine is the 4 B’s--bath, brush, books, bed. Even as my children have grown older, we still try our best to stick to this routine. It seems despite all the ups and downs of family life, we end the day connected. 

Ms. Angi has always used books as a reward in her household. When her child has an extra good day at school, they earn extra reading time before bed. Building a strong connotation with reading is central to her routine.

Mrs. Petersen calls her family routine ‘The One,’ and it helps them stick with the routine of reading at least one book a night with her children. ‘The One’ is from the 'one book, one hug, one kiss' concept, and it helps her family stay on time with their nightly routine. Mrs. Petersen says, “If we finish our routine ahead of schedule, we might read another book as an incentive. If we are behind schedule, doing this routine gets us back on track. Following ‘The One’ helps our family enjoy time together but also encourages children to build a 'want' and a love of reading books.”

Parents ask this question all the time, and the simple answer is, reading should be fun and enjoyable! So, if your child is not having fun reading, help them find books they connect with. What are they interested in? Which shows do they like to watch? Go to the library and find books that they want to read and you may have a reader in no time! 

When Ms. Donna’s daughter started middle school, she had a difficult time finding books she enjoyed. The vast number of books on endless shelves left her feeling overwhelmed, and she didn’t know where to start. That’s when the librarian saved the day! After sharing her interests with their librarian, Ms. Donna’s daughter was pointed to a few book series that brought back her love of reading.

Books certainly do not need to be new or purchased—they can be borrowed from the local library! The Brookings community is blessed to have a wonderful public library that allows families to check out books—for free! When you sign up, your child gets their very own yellow library card, and if they are anything like my kids, they are very proud of it! 

The Brookings Public Library also promotes a ‘1000 Books Before Kindergarten’ reading program to encourage early reading. Their website states, “The concept is simple, the rewards are priceless! Read any book to your newborn, infant, and/or toddler. The goal is to have read 1,000 books (and you can repeat books) before your little one starts kindergarten. It's not hard if you think about it. If you read just 1 book a night, you will have read about 365 books in a year. That is 730 books in two years and 1,095 books in three years. Since most children start kindergarten at around 5 years of age, you have more time than you think. Let's get started!” 

The Brookings Public Library offers tracking sheets to keep you going and celebrates reading milestones by tracking participation. Ask someone in the Children's Department or at the Circulation Desk to receive your first 100-book tracking sheet!

A library offers something to everyone. Finding books that your kids connect with is key! While some preschoolers fall over laughing at ‘Captain Underpants,’ others prefer non-fiction. Both I and Ms. Donna have boys who would rather read National Geographic or facts about reptiles, than humorous children stories. They have minds that appreciate truth and facts, and that is completely OK! However, variety is good and expands the mind.

Regardless of your child’s interest, the message is the same…grab a book and read! Do not underestimate the power of reading with your children. Read aloud, early, and often. Read well past when they can read independently. You will start a tradition, be making memories, building knowledge, and encouraging a lifelong love of reading. And that is one of the greatest gifts you can give your child.