Read. Read. Read. From the very beginning we need to be reading to your children. We need to encourage our children to read at every age. Summer time we want our children to spend a lot of time outside but during those peak sun hours we could let them stay in side and read.
Macmillan/McGraw-Hill wants to help encourage reading during the summer. So one of their authors Tim Shanahan has some tips to share with us.
Summer Reading Tips from Tim Shanahan, author of Macmillan/McGraw-Hill’s best selling elementary reading program, Treasures. (http://www.macmillanmh.com/reading/)
Dr. Shanahan is also the past president of the International Reading Association.
1. Read Together! Summer usually allows families to spend more time together. This is a great opportunity to read more with your kids to help keep their skills fresh. Children learn a lot when you read to them. Even if your child can read by himself, take turns reading to each other, and be sure to talk about what you are reading. Ask questions, answer questions and explore the ideas together.
2. Share the Experience. As kids get older, help them find books, magazines, or newspaper articles that they would enjoy reading. Take the time to read them too so you can discuss them. The point is to share the reading experience.
3. Ask Questions. Even if you are not reading the same books they are, talk to your children about what they are reading. Ask them questions such as what happened in the story or what might happen next, who is their favorite character, or who is the villain. This builds summarization and recall skills, and your interest helps increase their interest.
4. Designate a Reading Spot. Create a summer reading nook or spot in your home where your child can read. Make sure there is good light and comfortable seating and try to set aside one TV/video-game-free night per week for family reading. Reading night can be a special snack night, too. There is nothing better than reading with a big bowl of popcorn!
5. Use Resources. If your children’s school program provides materials for home activities over the summer, absolutely use them.
6. Find Reading Opportunities Everywhere. If you are taking a trip this summer, send for brochures and maps and have your children read them aloud with you.
7. Leverage Pop Culture. Don’t ignore the value of graphic novels or a popular series like the Twilight books or Harry Potter. These are great ways to encourage adolescents to read more.
8. Plan an Outcome Activity. Whether you are reading to your children or they are reading themselves, plan an outcome event or activity based on the reading. For instance, if the book has been made into a movie, watch the DVD together after reading the book. Book reading can lead to picnics, museum visits, ballgames or even family vacations.
9. Write Letters to Your Children. Writing to your kids is a great opportunity to remind them of experiences that they had when they were younger or to tell them about the lives of older people in the family, like their grandparents. Kids love getting letters and you can even encourage them to write back, helping them practice their writing skills.
10. Mix it up. Don’t just focus on storybooks. Kids often prefer to read about fact rather than fiction, including books and articles about the environment, animals, current events, sports, and other topics. Talk to them about what they like and help them find reading materials that match those interests.
About Macmillan/McGraw-Hill
Macmillan/McGraw-Hill is an elementary school text book publisher. They are dedicated to educating children and to helping professionals educate with the best materials that they can provide.
Macmillan/McGraw-Hill believes that it is our obligation to:
provide the best value to teachers, and quality instructional ideas and content for all children; provide assessment ideas, approaches and tools; help in reaching all learners; help with communicating results to students, administrators, parents and the community; provide ease of use and manageability of materials
provide all students with materials that are motivating and challenging and that build, encourage and support success; provide opportunities for measurement of progress; provide opportunities for multiple learning experiences; prepare students to be life-long learners and good citizens in a diverse and changing world
To Help Encourage Reading Macmillan/McGraw-Hill is sponsoring a giveaway on Mom Start.
Treasures is a research based, comprehensive Reading Language Arts program for grades K-6 that gives educators the resources they need to help all students succeed. High quality literature coupled with explicit instruction and ample practice ensures that students grow as life-long readers and writers.
Enter to win:
Three of my readers will win an age appropriate set of Treasures Reading.
To Enter:
Leave a comment telling us what your reading tip is. How do you encourage reading?
Extra Entries:
Leave as many tips as you want.
Anyway that you spread the word about this giveaway counts as an extra entry. (tweeting – link to giveaway, e-mailing others – link to giveaway, blogging – link to giveaway, just share the gift of reading)
Leave a comment for every entry and giveaway ends June 25th.
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iVillage PBS KIDS Summer Reading Community Challenge
I encourage reading by taking my kids to the library once a week, so they can choose books that they are interested in.
We leave books all around our home so that our little one is surrounded by them. He loves looking at them and often asks us to read to him.
Tweeted ~ http://twitter.com/susanlanai/status/2026946666
My granddaughter and her friend eagerly away the summer reading contest sponsored by our public library. They earn free product coupons and name recognition along the way until the get the chance to pick out a prize for completing of the project.
We read every night and have done so for as long as I can remember. I think it helps with my son’s already diverse vocabulary and spelling!
We go to the library several times a month and get loads of books. We make sure to get any special interest the kids are interested in.
My son and I read all the time. We read very often, but in additon this quality time we read when he first wakes up, when he is trying to use the potty (we are toilet learning), before nap time, and before bedtime. Books are a major part of his life.
My son is also never restricted for his home library and he will very often be caught “reading” on his own. He will also continue to “read” to himself during nap time when I have finished reading to him.
It’s harder in the summer with our nice Seattle weather, but we typically get to the library for story time and checking out at least once a week.
We also visit our local “Half Price Book Store” once a week too. We can find some great deals on new and used books from $.50-$2.00.
My son also helps me look at our toddler group’s Scholastic order forms to chose the books we’ll buy.
We also promote reading with our friends by including a book or into as presents. We also believe literary is the best gift you can give a friend.
When we are done with our books we try to pass them along to local Friends of the Library who will sell them to put on library programs, or we offer them to friends with children who will read them.
I am also part of the MOMS Club and I email our member about special reading programs. Our libraries summer reading program offers insentives including a grand prize of laptops. The Half Price Book Store also has a summer reading program offering cash cards to buy books to kids reading 15 minutes a day.
Twetted:
SumSkybaby – Have your kids read all summer long http://bit.ly/7woOf
less than 5 seconds ago from web
reading something of interest is a great way to promote reading
shopannies@Yahoo.com
encourgament goes along way so give applause when they are reading
shopannies@yahoo.com
reading together is always great take time and read as a pair
shopannies@Yahoo.com
play the street sign game to teach new words to an early reader
shopannies@Yahoo.com
twittered http://twitter.com/shopannies/status/2034688028
shopannies@Yahoo.com
I encourage reading in my grandson by reading to him and taking him to the book store or library to pick out books that he likes.
janetfaye (at) gmail (dot) com
I also think it’s very important for your children to know you read. When my son is older I hope he looks back and remember not only me reading to him, and him reading to himself or me, BUT I hope he also remembers me loving books too.
lrad by example and read too
Read to them, let them choose their own books and make sure they observe you reading. Thanks!
I always encouraged my children to read now I do it to my grandchildren, I buy them books or I get them free at the library when they throw them out.
MY DAUGHTER AND I READ TOGETHER EVERY NIGHT. WE HAVE READING TIME. WE ALSO HAVE WEEKLY TRIPS TO THE LIBRARY. READING IS VERY IMPORTANT!
I start reading to my kids from day one, and a variety of books so we can find out what they like. They also go to the library and pick their own books out, and we always read a story at bedtime.
My kids knew bedtime was never quite there until reading time was over…and some nights there was a LOT of reading to do!
I was also fortunate to have a younger child who wanted to everything her big brother did…and he was a reader. So often, he would read to her.
Both of them got into books that way.
love to read to my grandkids
We have lots of books for her, and I set an example by reading frequently. It’s hard to find things to read that compete with Disney…
My daughter doesn’t read yet, but she enjoys sitting and looking through books on her own. When I see her doing that, I try to grab a book or magazine to read myself, to show her it’s a family activity.
We don’t have tv, so my husband and I are always reading. My three-year-old reads too, and my two-year-old and my one-year-old pretend to read. If they see you doing it and you have plenty of books within their reach, then they’ll mimic you at first, and they’ll do it on their own. We also make weekly trips to the library which makes reading a lot more exciting for them because they get to have “new” books.
Alicia Webster
5webs@comcast.net
My little guy has yet to be born (just a few more weeks) but I’ve been a nanny for several years. To encourage my nanny charges to read we’d go about once every week or two to the library where they could pick out books that we kept in the car so they could read each day as I drove them around to their different activities. Last summer we also signed them up for a couple summer reading clubs. Half-Price books has an awesome one, where if they turn in their reading reports each week they get a $3 gift card each week…enough to buy a book of their own to keep!!
In our house we will be reading books to our little guy and showing by example how cool it is to read…and we’ve got lots of books on our shelves!!
I keep lots of books for my grandson and each time he visits I make sure and have a new one for him. He is always excited to see the new book. Please include me in your giveaway.
Thanks
carlene
iluvreading(at)verizon.net
Start reading to your child as early as possible to get yourself and your child in the habit. My husband read to my pregnant belly–REALLY!–and we’ve read to our daughter almost every day since.
We keep books in every room of our house so our daughter can pick one up and “read” it–she’s not even two yet so she doesn’t know how to read, but she likes to look at the pictures and make up stories about them–or ask us to read to her any time she wants.
We hang out at the library so much that the people who work there treat us like old familiar friends. Letting your children pick out their own books is exciting and empowering for them. I can’t wait until my daughter can get her own library card in her name–she will be so excited!
We go to (FREE!) story time at our local Barnes and Noble almost every Wednesday. An employee reads a book and walks the kids through making a related craft, then a snack is served. Programs like these are a great way to get your children excited about reading.
As you can tell, I have LOTS of reading tips because I think reading is so important!
Books are expensive–buy them used to save a lot. I got to our local McKay Used Books and usually don’t spend over $1 per book–many times I find books in terrific shape for as little as 35 cents! More books means more variety for your kids, which will hopefully keep them interested in reading!
im an email subscriber
use plenty of light to read with mverno@roadrunner.com
We purchased clip-on lights for our children’s beds and allow them to stay up later if they spend the time reading in bed.
We started going to the library with our kids when they were babies and go every week. We also read to them at night and whenever they ask.
Reading to them and reading around them!
Be animated when you read! Use different voices for different characters–bring the story alive for the child! Get him/her involved in the actions of the story.
We act out the things we read. It’s fun. 🙂
Make reading a part of the routine that does not suffer from mix-ups, being behind schedule or life’s ups and downs.
Where ever my children and I are, whatever we are doing, no matter how late it is, we read before we go to sleep. It helps end the day on the pleasant note. I still can’t sleep without a chapter and I think reading is the one constant in my life that I can always find pleasure in.
i just need the chance
I offer my kids incentives to memorize things I have read to them
My daughter goes to the library with her grandmother every Saturday and takes part in the kids program there… she loves reading and often checks out 10 books at a time because she enjoys reading so much. The library program of course helps quite a bit as well.
micaela6955 at msn dot com
I often ask my daughter to read a story to me at night-and then we take turns discussing the story and answering questions in regards to the story.
With my son, who hated reading-complete opposite of his sister-I helped him read his stories, tried not to overwhelm him with too much at once, and offered incentives (additional allowance money, a special treat, etc…) in order to get him to read at the level he needed to be in, plus grandma helped when we ended up moving back to Maine when he was 11.
You can’t walk in our house without just about tripping over all the books. It would be impossible NOT to read. Everyone needs access to a wide variety of reading material.
We include reading in our bed time routine!
We make reading a priority. We read during the day and always squeeze in at least 3 books before bed.
I don’t have trouble getting my girls to read, but my son is a different story. I find that I have to find the books for him and give them to him — he will never search out books for himself. If I can find something appealing, he’ll read.
I offer to read books to my daughter. She enjoys climbing up on the couch and curling up with a book and blanket. She’s too little to read it herself so we spend the time together.
learningmama at yahoo dot com
We let the kids buy as many books as they want at garage sales. They do have to donate a like # to charity but we stil have a ton of books for them to read at all times. They think of it as their own library.
I have entered all 3 of my children (ages 5, nearly 2 and nearly 2)in the summer reading program at the library. We will be tracking how much time we read to them and they will get stickers. It’s never too early to start reading! I also let my 5 year old pick out special books at the library for his sisters. He feels really special to be included in their learning process and it encourages him to read too.
I encourage reading by going to library and picking out books for myself. As well as setting aside time that we both read together…our own books, or out-loud.
I have always encouraged my daughter to read because it is my favorite thing to do. I have always told her that you can go anywhere in the world and/or any time in the past or future that you want to by reading a book. We go to the library together and FINALLY! she reads quite a bit now.
One of the best tips is making sure your child sees you reading. It is best to lead by example!
I make my son go to bed a 1/2 hour early every night and have him read a book. He loves it.
I encourage reading by almost always stopping to read a book with my son when he requests it. I also read to myself in front of him to give him a good example. Thanks for the giveaway.
We read to eachother every night before bedtime. It is a great way to end the days. Thank you for the chance
tatertot374@sbcglobal.net
we setup rewards based on books read
Let them see you reading! Children learn by example!
Read to them from an early age – that way it will become a habit/second nature for them to pick up books!
Get involved in the local library summer reading program! (I’m assuming most libraries have these – ours does!)
we encourage reading by trying to read to the kids each evening
We always read at bedtime! To encourage him to read we pick books that he picks out and give him lots of time to sound out words.
We sign up for as many summer reading programs as we can. This really gets my kids excited!
I usually let my kids read in bed before going to sleep. They look forward to this extra time to stay up a little later, and I look forward to them enjoying the reading time.
every night before bed i read to my children to help wind them down. i have done this since they were newborns. daily they ask to be read to and bring me books often. i think this encourages them to love books, and reading. they love finding new adventures and getting engrossed in the stories we get into.
I encourage reading by making our reading time as exciting as possible and really getting my grandson involved in the story.
I Tweeted the giveaway!
http://twitter.com/fishinmom
I bought a boxed set of books I loved as a kid and now my kids want to read them.
my reading tip is to teach by example, i read a lot, by myself and to my kids, as a result my daughter has developed the same love for reading. She is 7 and it is one of her favorite past times!
I encourage both my children to do the summer reading programs and then we read every night (as we do throughout the year) — each kid picks a book and I do also and then read and snuggle 🙂
Trips to the library, our local branch, and the larger main branch. Allow kids to explore various kids books. Sometimes, they will pick books about animals, stars, trains, whatever catches their eyes.
Find a subject she is interested in and get books from the library or goodwill
Trips to the library weekly, buying new books at least every other month, reading before bed, asking them if they would like to read, and being an example and reading to them, or to myself. Also my husband has started reading more and of course they want to be like dad. Thanks for the giveaway!
We have books everywhere, and my son just wants to do what I do. I read to him and with him.
We have books all over our house and we read whenever the request is made.
I just read at a constant speed, not too fast and not too slow to maintain my interest.
My kids love to go to the library to pick out the books that they would like to read.
We go to our local library for story time. They have some great incentive programs for the kids there!
My son and daughter each get to pick a book from the Scholastic book order (just like I got to when I was little). They get so excited when their books come.
At bedtime, my kids aren’t allowed to play with toys, but they can read until they fall asleep. They love it!
We try to read every evening a few pages to our son.
I encourage reading by showing my kids that I love to read.
I love to point out the pictures while I read and I like to ask find out questions.
I have many times read and firmly believe that a child’s deepest and longest lasting lessons come from parental imitation. My mom was a big reader, as am I. My son adores books and has since about one and a half years old. I don’t think there’s any better encouragement for a child to read than seeing his parents enjoying a good book.
I make sure that my kids have plenty of new books to read. I shop yard sales, thrift shops and sales. I also take them to the library.
The kids love to read! They read about 30 mintues a day!
We encourage reading by going to the library at least once a week and the library here has a program where the kids can read to the handicap assisting dogs. The kids love that!
My kids always read so I really don’t have to get them to.
we have a set time for reading together and take turns picking out the book.
We visit the library at least twice a week!
i try to make myself sounds excited when im reading to the kids and i want to make them excited too and we talk about the book after we read and my kids imaginations run wild
We had a set time every evening where they picked out their own books to read. We spent a few minutes discussing the books and sharing what we had all read. They loved it.
We spend time at the library. We also take trips to book retailers like Barnes & Noble and Borders, where there are large selections of age-appropriate books for my daughter (and me!).
We set aside reading time everyday.
We have a reading chart and as my daughter fills it up she gets rewarded.
To encourage my son to read (which he hates), I read one page, then he reads a page. It makes it go by quicker and he learns how to pronounce words that he doesn’t know how to say.
I tweeted your giveaway and spread the love of reading @ http://twitter.com/jettaway75/status/2323228139
We go to the library once a week to pick out books
In the summer, we pick a local place to visit, then go to the library and get a book having to do with we visited. We all read about it, then discuss what we learned!
I thought I had already entered this. Hmmm… anyway, my tip is to read at least one story or book to your child(ren) before/at bedtime.
roseinthemorning [at] gmail [dot] com
I enroll them in many summer programs.
Another tip: Join the library’s summer reading program. If they don’t have one, maybe you can encourage them to start! 🙂
roseinthemorning [at] gmail [dot] com
if they want to stay up late reading books, I sometimes let them do that.
I take them to library, get some books for them to read, and some for me to read to them
I tweeted about the giveaway:
http://twitter.com/HSBSuzanne/status/2329928139
roseinthemorning [at] gmail [dot] com
another tip: Chuck E. Cheese will give a child 10 tokens (I think that’s their promo) for summer reading. 🙂
roseinthemorning [at] gmail [dot] com
I encourage my kids to read about whatever they are interested in — dinosaurs, trucks, horses — anything that will get them reading and keep them reading!
Start readingto your children early.
I have taught them that reading can take you all over the world in just one book
we have reading time every night. They love being able to pick a book that they want to read
The lib. is your friend. My son has his own lib card and he says that he is a book helper. I just love that
Making reading fun. We read a story sometimes and then act it out in the house on rainy days. It is lots of fun
Have them make their own book. My daughter loves doing that
Join a book exchange so that you are always getting different stories to your kids but not have to spend the money for new ones all the times
Go to the thrift store. they always have books for so cheap and have the kids pick out the ones that they want
Snuggle up on the couch and read them a book. they are never to old for you to read to them. My mom still reads to be parts of the book that she is reading. I love that to.
Starting reading to them as soon as you find out you are pregnant and continue to
Have a book made that is made just for them with their name in it. My son still has his book that he got when he was a baby. He loves being able to read his name in his own book
We love books and my husband and I are both avid readers. We read to our kids on a daily basis. Thank you so much for the great contest.
i try to have my son read for a half hour before play or video games
Find new places to read – like the backyard or at the park.
I read myself so that’s all it took to first get them interested. I also keep books at home and in the car 🙂
When I see that my kids are interested in a certain subject, I like to take them to the bookstore to choose books on that subject. They appreciate my interest in their likes and they can’t wait to explore their new books.
I have 2 granddaughters, ages 2 and 6 and they love books. My daughter and I started a library for the firstborn before she was even born! We all have always read to the girls, they have a bookshelf at their level in the living room, a bookcase in their bedroom. When I visit them, I bring a surprise, and often these are new books. I live a distance from them, and when I spend the night, we snuggle in the bed and read books and laugh and have the best time. Books were a big part of my life, and my daughter always loved reading also. I hope that we all have instilled the love of books into our little ones lives.
We make it a fun experience. From the time the children were very small we always had books around. My husband worked out of the city a lot so the children and I spent evenings cuddled together in my big bed while I read to them. After they got older they read to me.
My husband and I love to read, so it’s definitely something we want to pass on to our children. We read books all day long and then before naps and bed, we read at least three 🙂 Thanks for the great giveaway!
annasmama0702@gmail.com
I tweeted!
http://twitter.com/annasmama0702/status/2370572068
annasmama0702@gmail.com
We used flash cards with our son from the time was two-years old (he will turn four in Sept.). Before he was three he was able to recognize many words in the books that we would read to him each day.
From a very early age, we would point out words in our son’s books and ask him how they were spelled. Eventually, he learned to recognize the words and would show us when we asked him to point out and spell certain words on the various pages. Many people are impressed with his ability to spell so many words (now without looking) at the age of three.
We have books in lots of places I always have a book with me in my purse so we can read while waiting. I read a book to my kids everynight and so does my husband. thanks
This summer, I’ve incorporated reading into our daily routine. The kids are recording which books they’ve read, and once we get to a certain number, they’ll get a special treat!
We gave our daughter a Tag reading system for her birthday last Saturday to encourage her to read. Let’s just say it has worked so far! She is very interested in the Tag reader and the library of books that we got with it.
Sometimes I read to my daughter while she’s in the bathtub or eating lunch to reinforce the fact that reading can be done anywhere and everywhere, not just at bedtime.