Sharing Literacy Experiences With Children

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:

1. 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!
2. Go on a letter hunt - Find something in their room, or better yet outside on a walk that starts with that certain letter
3. Find A’s in a book, newspaper, or magazine!  They will think they are reading like Mom and Dad!
4. 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
5. Have all types of books available - Big books, cardboard books, small books, soft and hard books.  Include fiction and nonfiction in your library collection
6. Play games that involve literacy - Play restaurant and have them write orders in an order pad
7. Look for letters on the Menu when you go out to eat
8. Cut pictures out of magazines that begin with a letter you are studying
9. Make an alphabet book
10. Read a book and then ask children a few questions to test their comprehension
11. Glue letters from an alphabet cereal on a piece of paper
12. Put alphabet cereal on a plate and help your child make his or her name out of the cereal
13. Keep magnetic letters on the refrigerator
14. Make up silly songs starting with the letter of their name
15. Sing with your child!  Singing also helps with patterning and rhyming
16. Read to your child everyday even if it is only for a few minutes
17. Provide writing materials
18. Read food labels
19. Visit your local Library
20. 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.