Great Ways to Read to Your Children

With all of the time constraints for families there's increasing pressure to skip or lessen the time we spend with our children. Don't let that happen! As we know, reading to your children is one of the most important activities to do wit your children daily. An article from the University of Idaho documents some creative ways that you can read to your children, if you aren't available at bedtime, as other innovative ways to encourage reading.

If you're away at bedtime, the article gives the ideas of taping yourself reading or reading a book over the phone (something very feasible if you print a couple of copies of books for free from Readsake). And, of course as they remind us, bedtime isn't the only time to read - bring a book with you as you run errands and take advantage of waiting times by reading together.

To encourage reading Peggy McClendon, Read to Me Co-Coordinator, Idaho State Library; and Harriet Shaklee, Family Development Specialist, University of Idaho Extension; remind us to read with our children throughout the day - things like cereal boxes, road signs and billboards. They also suggest doing book exchanges with other kids and making them exciting by wrapping up the books.