What can your child read alone? It can be difficult to decide what books are just right for your reader – not too hard or too easy. Here’s a great suggestion, from a book/pamphlet produced by the YMCA, called Raising Kids Who Read. “To decide which books are right for […]
Tips
Reading – more fun than making your bed
I often let my son break the rules by reading. When I tell him, “it’s time for bed,” he knows that if he grabs a book, it’ll buy him an extra half-hour or so. As long as his teeth are brushed and he’s in his jammies, I’ll extend his bedtime […]
"I’m bored!"
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 […]
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 […]
Dogs help kids read
It makes sense, when you think about it.Dogs enjoy any story you read to them, they don’t judge when you get a word wrong, and they have an enormous attention span. A non-profit organization in Chicago, Sit Stay Read!, uses trained dogs to help children read. The kids read to […]
Thank you for the Children’s Book Bank donations
Thank you to John Rahme and the CBC for the generous donation to the Children’s Book Bank. After hearing about our book drive, the CBC donated a huge box of brand-new Mr. Dressup books, including school workbooks. By that afternoon, the Book Bank had already sent the books along to […]
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 […]
