If I know anything about the public school system, it's that your kids came home from the first day of school with the nightly homework of reading for 20 minutes. Obviously I am a huge proponent of reading, but I also want to instill in my kids a LOVE of reading, not just an ability to read. Frankly, I don't know a single kid who likes reading, "Nan ran, Ben sat, Ted talks" (I know what I said) for twenty minutes a night. Luckily, I believe there is a better way! Here are 20 ideas of ways to check off that reading homework box every night without resorting to the "sit at the table and read your baggie book" method.
Play a Word Game
Scrabble, Upwords, and our personal favorite, Letter Tycoon, are all easy ways to get your kid reading without them even realizing what's happening. If you don't have any of these, you can print off or make your own cards with letters on them and play Go Fish to make words.
Stuffed Animal Note
My oldest usually brings his favorite stuffed animal upstairs in the mornings, so she started leaving him notes for when he got home from school. I don't do it every day, but he is always tickled pink to find a note from her. (And bonus, he's in dual immersion this year so I used this note to help him practice a little Spanish.)
Co-op Bedtime Story
As long as my kids want me to read them bedtime stories, I am happy to do it. But now that my oldest can read, I will randomly have him read a paragraph or a page in the middle of the story, usually during a tense moment where he wants to know what happens next. This also works for kids just learning to read- just have them name the letters, say their sounds, or tell you the sight words they know. For older kids, you can switch off reading chapters or tell them you get to be the kid tonight while they read a chapter to you. (Hint: make sure to ask questions as they're reading. Good reading skills aren't just about sounding out words- comprehension is even more important!)
Scripture Study
Let your kids help with nightly scripture study by reading a paragraph or two. The words and language are generally much harder, so this is a great exercise for their brains! (Same rules as above apply to younger or older kids.)
Write your own story
Play author and write your own stories! I like to cut up printer paper, staple it into a tiny book, and let them go to town. If they need some help, give them a character or idea to run with. My kids love Mo Willems pigeon books, so in the past we've written our own pigeon books to see what shenanigans we can get him up to. (I say "we" because I can't help myself- I am usually making a book with them. They love it and those silly books usually become some of their favorite bedtime stories.)
Play Teacher
Have your kids play teacher to you, younger siblings, or even pets or stuffed animals. Give them a white board to draw on, books to read for story time, and there will be sure to be plenty of reading amidst the playing.
Pass the Parent Test
Read to them- a short story, chapter from a book, anything at all- and then let them write a test for you to take about what you read them. See how close both of you were paying attention!
Read a Bedtime Story to a Sibling
This is adorable and doesn't feel like a chore for them (usually). If they don't have a sibling to read to, let them tuck in a doll or stuffed animal.
Make a Recipe
Let your kids help with dinner or dessert, and make them read you each ingredient on a recipe card or blog. (Finally, a use for those long drawn-out stories at the beginning of recipe blogs.)
Write Letters
Send a letter or thank you card to friends or grandparents. Let them write the letter themselves and read it to you when they're done. Usually writing one letter spawns another and another, and who doesn't like getting a good old fashioned letter in the mail?
Help with grocery or to do lists
When you need to add or cross off something from a grocery or to-do list, let your kids do it for you. Have them search for a specific item on the list to cross it off. Plus, this is one less thing for you to do.
Scavenger Hunt
Quick & easy- there are tons of lists online that you can print off and have kids check off as they find things. This one from printablesfairy.com is perfect for Fall.
Detectives
Similar to a scavenger hunt, write clues and hide them throughout the house, one leading to another until they get to a "prize" at the end. This can be as simple as a final note saying "You did it!" Make sure to save the papers to do again in a month or so- they won't remember.
Make a Bucket List
Usually in the summers I will make a summer bucket list that we check off as a family. This year, my six year old made his own bucket list and it turned out to be the cutest thing. It contained just gems as "go outside with mom" (we just had to go stand outside. That was it.) and "do whatever I want." You can get specific and make bucket lists for seasons, holidays, or even just the weekend, or you can make a general bucket list of things they want to do in their lives.
Calendar
Let your kids help you fill in a calendar for the month. Have them add things you have to do, as well as some things they want to do. (Put that bucket list from above to use!)
Check off "want" lists
Birthday, Christmas, groceries... make a list of items and let your kids read through and check off the things they want. Make sure to include gross or silly things they definitely don't want so they don't just check off everything.
Glue Stories
Print off a bunch of random words and let your kids cut them apart and glue them back together into a story. (Kids will do anything if you let them use glue. It's like magic.) Leave blank papers so they can add their own words, and include plenty of "the" "and", etc. and phrases like "once upon a time" and "The end".
Letter toys
There are so many fun and cute letter toys- resin letters, magnetic letters, foam letters, blocks- but if you don't have any of these, just write letters on individual small pieces of paper or post it's and then say words and see how fast your kids can spell them with their letters.
Put on a Play
Write for them or have your kids write a script for a play or puppet show. Have them memorize their lines or read them as they act it out for you. Also a good excuse to dress up.
Races
Give them something to read- anything, junk mail, something on your phone, this blog- and time them for 1 minute and see how much they can read. Then time them again and see if they can read even farther.
Bonus tip: Don't be picky about what they read. "Captain Underpants" will get the job done just as easily as Shakespeare and they'll enjoy it a lot more in the process.
What did I miss?? What works for your family to teach your kids to love reading without getting burned out in the process?
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