We said it to our parents – your kid says it to you. You’ve hated hearing it in the past. But the next time he says “I’m bored!” you’re going to love it. Here’s what to do: The next time you’re in a book store or a corner store, check […]
Tag: tips
How to foster a "reading culture"
Kids who live in a “reading home” will be readers, it’s as simple as that. What does that mean, and how do you create a reading culture in your home? Here are some key things you can do to create a “reading home”: *Read to your child every day. *Have […]
Use words, not pictures, for labels
This is kind of counter-intuitive, so bear with me. Let’s say you’re labelling bins in your young child’s playroom. This one is for cars, this one is for balls, this is where the action figures go. It can be really tempting to draw a car, rather than write the word […]
Singin’ in the Brain
Singing helps children learn to read When my son was little, our life was a musical. If I could sing something rather than say it, I would. “We’re… puttin’ our shoes now, tying up the laces, goin’ to the park!” (to the tune of Top Hat, White Tie and Tails). […]
For kinesthetic learners
Reading doesn’t have to be on a page. If your child is a kinesthetic learner – he learns by touching and doing rather than by seeing or hearing – here are some great ideas. Use letters made from blocks, cards, fridge magnets or Scrabble tiles. Toss seven large letters (blocks, […]
Avoiding library fines
Libraries don’t have to cost a lot of money.Here are some tips:1) Renew your books online. When your deadline is approaching, go online using your library card, and hit “renew” for all your books. It buys you some time. 2) If your books are overdue, renew them online anyway. It […]
Read to your child every night
Every night? Every night. Reading to your child could be the single most important thing you do to turn your child into a great reader. And if for some reason you “can’t” read to your child every night, forthwith are my reasons why, in fact, you can. *He’s too tired. […]
Hallowe’en is for learning
No, not really – it’s for candy and for zombies. But in the midst of our Hallowe’en party today, I managed to sneak in some learning. We had hidden “eyeballs” (bouncy balls with corneas printed on them) in the backyard. Each child had to find five with their initials on […]
Treating books with kindness
This goes along with my last post, about considering books as a “treasure.” Once you think of books that way, you can’t help but have a certain reverence for them and this in turn reinforces the idea that they contain something valuable. Accordingly, I don’t allow books on the floor, […]
A book is a treasure chest
When I see a book, I think of it as a “treasure chest.” The person who opens the cover will discover infinite possibilities – excitement, emotion, great characters, facts, new ideas! When I leave a book on my son’s bed for him to “find,” it’s like I’m leaving him buried […]
