“Children are made readers on the laps of their parents.” Emilie Buchwald
On the first day of November, National Family Literacy Day is celebrated across the country, focusing on the importance of getting the whole family involved in reading. This day kicks off a month filled with special events at schools, libraries and other community locales. But you can start celebrating right at home!
Here are some ways to get the whole family involved:
- Make sure your home has an assortment of age-appropriate books for your child. From baby board books to chapter books, a variety of books can help capture the imagination of a child.
- Get comfortable! Books can be read anywhere, so invite your child to get creative. Read on a beanbag, a blanket outdoors, a mountain of cushions…anywhere!
- Be realistic and start small. With a hectic balance of work and home, most parents find it hard to schedule a designated time to read with their child. Start small. Commit to a short period of time sitting close to your child and turning the pages together. Read and point to the words or simply identify and talk about the images. Don’t worry if you can’t do it every day, and try as often as you can.
- Don’t keep all the fun to yourself! Invite grandparents, siblings and other family members to share in the reading. The goal is to show your child that reading can be an enjoyable activity. These special people in your child’s life can also introduce them to favorite books from their own childhood. Reading is a gift that keeps on giving.
- Remember that reading is something that can happen all year long! For book suggestions or ideas to engage your child in reading, visit these helpful websites:
International Reading Association
National Center for Families Learning
About Children’s Movement of Florida
The Children’s Movement is a citizen-led coalition of Floridians who believe that every child deserves a full chance at the American dream. We are committed to making positive strives toward parent skill-building, screening for special needs, voluntary pre-kindergarten, health care and mentoring. Our objective is to inform and encourage the political, business and civic leaders, and the parents and people of this state, to make the well-being and education of our children our highest priority, including in the way we invest our public resources. To learn more, visit www.childrensmovementflorida.org.
