Read Across
America is a reading motivational and awareness program which encourages every
child all across the country to celebrate the joy of reading, and coincides
with the festivities around Dr. Seuss's Birthday.
The program also
encourages parents to foster a love of reading in their families and
demonstrates the values which benefit families who make time to read together.
The celebration
took flight in May 1997 when a group of teachers decided to institute a
day to get children and their parents excited about reading. Thus was born the
largest celebration of reading that this nation has ever seen. Teachers,
politicians, actors, athletes, librarians, parents and grandparents
have all become active in the endeavor.
Children who are
motivated to appreciate reading become better, more accomplished
students, and ultimately enjoy greater success in their academic endeavors.
Kangaroo Kids has
been an avid supporter of Read Across America since its inception in 1997 and
uses each teachable moment as an opportunity to encourage its students to
become lifelong reading enthusiasts.
Here are some fun
ways to share literacy adventures with your child:
- Find things that start with the same letter of
their name around the room. Most
children start their enthusiasm for reading with the thing most important
to them – their name!
- Go on a letter hunt - Find something in their
room, or better yet outside on a walk that starts with that certain letter
- Find A’s in a book, newspaper, or magazine! They will think they are reading like
Mom and Dad!
- Word bank – Keep a list of words your child
knows, either in a notebook, on a bulletin board, or in a non-breakable
bank that he or she can open and close
- Have all types of books available - Big books,
cardboard books, small books, soft and hard books. Include fiction and nonfiction in your
library collection
- Play games that involve literacy - Play
restaurant and have them write orders in an order pad
- Look for letters on the Menu when you go out to
eat
- Cut pictures out of magazines that begin with a
letter you are studying
- Make an alphabet book
- Read a book and then ask children a few questions
to test their comprehension
- Glue letters from an alphabet cereal on a piece
of paper
- Put alphabet cereal on a plate and help your child
make his or her name out of the cereal
- Keep magnetic letters on the refrigerator
- Make up silly songs starting with the letter of
their name
- Sing with your child! Singing also helps with patterning and
rhyming
- Read to your child everyday even if it is only
for a few minutes
- Provide writing materials
- Read food labels
- Visit your local Library
- Make up silly rhymes
Remember simply talking to
your child not only builds lasting family bonds but also encourages academic
development as he or she hears many different words and sounds, increases
vocabulary development and sees and hears the beauty of written and spoken
language.
