Instilling a love of reading in kids

A lot of my friends have complained to me over the years that their kids don't like to read and that they never pick up a book voluntarily.  I’ve never had that problem. In fact, I have  the reverse problem.  My kids love to read.  Its a very expensive habit to, but one I happily support.   Since they were small, my kids have loved books and the stories they contain.  As much as they begged for a new toy, they asked for books, books, and more books. They were insatiable.  ‘Just one more tory.’  Was the refrain when they were small, and ‘Just 5 more minutes’ the request as they grew.   The speed at which they consumed the words was fast and furious. New material was always on the radar.  In fact, the desire for a new read went as far as them guessing my password for the online bookstore and going in and dropping books in my shopping basket.   So, how did I create this love of words, this culture of reading in my house? I don't know that I did anything special, nor do I have a magical solution. I’m not sure that you can force your kids to be good or enjoy something for which they have no interest or inclination.  For example, I'm wickedly bad at any and all sports, except yoga, which isn't really a sport. But, my parents did try to encourage the growth of an interest by making athletic pursuits available. They signed me up for lessons in multiple activities, from dance to skating, gymnastics, to baseball. And, I just sucked. At all of it. And I hated it. But, I remember trying,  and I received the message that physical activity is important. (In case you’re wondering what I was doing when everyone else was running around?  I was reading. All the time.  And far into the night.)   I believe that an appreciation for reading, if not a love for it can be encouraged in the same way. What are some things I did when my kids were small to encourage reading and set the stage for literacy as they grew?     (I'll caveat that I was lucky and my kids seemed to have an affinity for reading. When my daughter was four, we 'caught' her reading to a classmate, even though nobody knew she could read.)   • We read to our kids everyday. And not just at bed time. Anytime was story time if there was a book handy. • Books were everywhere. I had a little bookshelf in the family room/ playroom as well as each child had a bookshelf in their room. The bookshelves were at child level so they could easily access them. • They kids saw me reading. All the time. • We made regular trips to the bookstore and library. Long half day trips. Picking a book was serious business. I rarely said no to the purchase of a book, while I did for toys and video games. • Holiday gifts ( we celebrate Chanukah) and birthdays always included books or gift certificates for the book store. • Books were part of the ceremony of living. We had books for holidays, birthdays, special events. We had books for feelings, and for good days, and even for bad days. Books were your friends.   So, those are some of my tips to encourage a love of literacy and reading in your home. What are some things you have done to encourage a love of reading in your home? By @chickymara

Book Character Costumes for Kids

Halloween is right around the corner so we thought it was the perfect time to give you a few ideas for some costumes based on popular book characters. 

• Harry Potter: What list of book character costumes would be complete without this famous wizard? You'll need a black robe, Gryffindor (or something similar) patch, and of course those trademark round glasses.

• Madeline: Always remember to walk in two straight lines! For the perfect Madeline costume you'll need a blue coat with a white collar, a yellow hat with a black ribbon, and a red scarf.

• Sherlock Holmes: Perfect for inquisitive children, Sherlock Holmes needs a trench coat, a hat (also known as a thinking cap), a wooden pipe, a magnifying glass, and a mystery to solve, of course! 

• Alice in Wonderland: The perfect Alice costume is made up of a blue dress with a white pinafore or apron, white knee-high socks, and some black shoes. Bonus points if you can get a hurried White Rabbit to follow her around! 

• Olivia: The lovable, optimistic pig that steals your heart is a pretty simple costume. Olivia wears a red dress with some stripped legwarmers, and don't forget the cute pink pig ears to top it all off. 

Gaming and Literacy

“When people learn to play video games they are learning a new literacy.” - James Paul Gee, linguist and professor of literacy studies at Arizona State University

According to a recent article on the website MindShift, gaming should be considered the new essential literacy.

When kids play video games, they're not only having fun but they're also learning problem solving skills, trial and error, and that it takes practice to get good at anything. As the article points out, "a critical part of being literate in the digital age means being able to solve problems through simulations and collaboration."

Many parents dismiss video games as simple, mindless entertainment, which can lead to arguments and frustration. So what would happen if we were to change our way of thinking about gaming? Would our kids benefit if we were to shift our view to see gaming as a more productive pastime? If, as the article suggests, gaming teaches children important life lessons and skills, it might be something worth considering.

If you're interested in learning more about the connection between gaming and literacy, here are a few more articles on the topic:

How Games Can Influence Learning

Five Reasons Why Video Games Power Up Learning

The Literacy of Gaming: What Kids Learn from Playing

Don’t be a book snob. Reading is Reading.

Snob:  n [snob]

a person who believes himself or herself an expert or connoisseur in a given field and is condescending toward or disdainful of those who hold other opinions or have different tastes regarding this field: i

I was at an event for the book community. It was a volunteer thank day you for those who were helping out for an upcoming event, all rampant book lovers.  Some were actually part of the book community (privileged to work at publishing houses, as book agents, etc.), while others, like me were merely avid readers (and most likely aspiring book-aternity insiders.)

I was getting to know one of the other volunteers, chit chatting away, and I mentioned a few of the books that I’d read in the months prior.  She looked at me askance, and I could tell by her face that she wasn’t impressed.  Then, she asked me if I’d read a book.  It was Chekhov, or the Odyssey, or another tome like that. A volume that was really smart, most possibly obscure. So obscure, and written as a long poem, about someone’s endless journey, that I cannot (probably because of a mental block created to avoid boredom), remember for the life of me who the author is. 

At that moment, though, for one single drawn out breathe, I felt ashamed of my literary, book-obsessed self.  Because I hadn’t read this one book.  Because this one lady disapproved of my taste and was able to cause me to doubt my valued membership in the ‘Read-a-thon Club’.  Me, who read adult novels at the age of 9.  Me, who read Pygmalion, Jane Eyre, and Wuthering Heights FOR FUN when I was in High School.  Me, who has read over 100 books already this year. 

What would a comment, a look, an intimation of ‘not-good-enoughness’ do to someone who is just falling in love with reading; to an adult who has just gained their literacy or a child with dyslexia struggling to read.  

I know one boy who only reads anime comics.  A friend of mine gets her reading on with People Magazine.  My husband reads the newspaper, and magazines, blogs, and websites related specifically to his interests.  Should I judge them because they’re not reading actual books, or what I think are intelligent or ‘worthy’ literature?  Should I be a ‘book snob’?

This is the way I look at it. Instead of worrying about, and even judging, what folks are picking up to read, why don’t we just encourage the simple act of putting letters together to make words, words to sentences, sentences to paragraphs, and so forth. It doesn’t matter whether its a sign, a flyer, a book, or even subtitles in a movie.  Every time someone enjoys the written word, a literacy star is born.  Instead of book snobbery, why don’t we promote book love and literacy? I mean who cares what someone ELSE is reading?  I know I don’t.

How to get boys to read

Since boys can sometimes be reluctant readers, here are a few ways you can encourage them to read and improve their literacy skills:

- Let him choose books, magazines, or graphic novels on subjects and genres he is interested in.

- If he seems more interested in sports than anything else, you can always pick up a non-fiction book about that sport or a biography on his favourite athlete.

- When visiting museums, zoos, and aquariums, why not end the day with a stop in the book section of the gift shop. Let him choose a book on something he saw and would be interested in learning more about.

- Both boys and girls will be more interested in reading if they see you doing it. The more books and magazines you have around the house the better.

5 Ways to Raise a Reader

Here are five ways to motivate your children to read and to become lifelong readers.

1. Get into the habit of reading to your kids as early as possible. Whether you choose to start before the baby is even born or at a few months old, the earlier you make reading a part of your child’s daily schedule the better.

2. Be a reading role-model: If your kids see you reading as a hobby, whether it’s books, magazines, newspapers, or e-books, they’ll want to follow your lead.

3. Visit bookstores and libraries with your kids often and encourage them to find books on subjects they’re interested in. Get them their own library card, and while you’re there make sure to pick up a book for yourself!

4. Make the stories they’re reading come alive by planning events and activities that go along with the theme of the book. Making crafts, dressing up in costumes, and visiting locations that are similar to those in the book will make it more exciting for both you and your kids.

5. If the only time kids read is when they are assigned books as homework, is it any wonder they don’t enjoy it? Encourage your kids to read just for pleasure. If they can experience reading as a fun activity they will be far more likely to carry it into adulthood.

Welcome to my world of books! (By ChickyMara)

Welcome to my world of books.  And thanks for coming.  I was thrilled when STELLAA asked me to join their group of bloggers and to share my love of reading, books, and the power of words. It’s hard to capture the passion and love that I feel for books. 

Aside: You’ll notice that I don’t use the word literature, because sometimes what you’re reading isn’t actually ‘literature’ in the true definition of the word. (Everyone has their secret pleasures).

A book can be many things: an escape, a way to make something better,  a world other than your own.  Sometimes a book can do much more than just entertain-it can educate, it can train, it can transform. 

I am a huge believer in literacy, and the power of the written word. Reading can take many forms:  books, magazines, comics, even signs and pamphlets.  It doesn’t matter where or what you read.  What matters is that you have the opportunity to stretch your mind and take it to other places, to gain the information you need, or even to find your way. 

STELLAA is working to make that happen. By making books available to those who would not have access to them, they are providing them the opportunity to move beyond, to gain the knowledge, to grow.  All people- children and adults, rich or poor, should have the opportunity to develop a love of the written word.

I’m not an activist.  I will write about what matters to me about literacy and how it fits into the greater scheme of life.  My feelings towards the importance of reading are organic.  They come out of what I’ve seen words and knowledge accomplish; how they have enriched my life and the lives of my children.

I hope you enjoy taking this journey with me as we explore the power of the book together.  I look forward to creating and debating.  You don’t always have to agree with me, and I welcome constructive comments and suggestions.  Let’s do this!

If you’d like to chat, follow me on Twitter. I’m @chickymara.