“Today a reader, tomorrow a leader.” – Margaret Fuller
This week is a very special week for us here at Passport For Good. No, not because it’s a 4 day work week (that is nice, though). Our company was founded on the celebration and support of students, and this week is one of the best weeks for that – Young Readers’ Week. The Center for the Book in the Library of Congress created Young Readers Week in 1989 to bring awareness to the importance of reading, especially in young children.
Today’s educational environment is chaotic. School life is nothing like what it was a year ago. While educators, parents, and students alike all have had huge adjustments to make it is easy to lose focus from time to time. The importance of reading isn’t lost on anyone, but sometimes the importance of reading together may be understated. During this week dedicated to celebrating the importance of young children reading, here are a few tips on how to encourage reading in your homes:
1. Make time to read
Time passes so quickly each day, it is hard to set aside some family time without distractions. For young readers, making time to read together shows the value of reading not just for them, but for you too. Blocking out some time to read a chapter or two, and talk about what you read together could end up becoming the most cherished part of the day.
2. Change it up
I LOVE Harry Potter. I could read those every day, but how long would it be until their magic is lost on me? As they say, variety is the spice of life so if you feel like you’re reading the same things, reading could become stale. Change up who picks what to read next, put together different books in a bag, and randomly choose without knowing which one, whatever works! Switching up subjects and reading levels continues to challenge young readers and can keep their interest in reading longer.
3. Share what you love
“Wait, you were once my age?” Yeah, parents were once kids too! Share what you liked to read when you were younger, and what you enjoy reading now. Not only share what interests you, but why you enjoyed reading it and how it impacted you. Sometimes, discovering what you like is the biggest challenge so hearing it from you may just spark a new idea in their minds.
4. Get out together.
Albert Einstein said it best, “The only thing that you absolutely have to know, is the location of the library.” Getting out is certainly a challenge, but if your local library is open, plan a trip with your family and explore what they offer. From reading programs to art shows, periodicals to books, you can spend all day at a library.
“Reading is to the mind what exercise is to the body” – Joseph Addison
When it comes down to it, we all know the importance of reading for young children. This week is about remembering the power of reading. We need to encourage kids to put down their devices and pick up a book; celebrate how wonderful it is to unlock the excitement of reading. Passport For Good encourages everyone to create a sense of wonder in children’s eyes when discovering the joy of reading.