Reading with your child is one of the most important things that you can do with them, and what better way to focus on a day full of reading than to celebrate a holiday dedicated to it? On November 14th, 2017, we celebrate National Young Readers Day as a way to bring attention to children and their families while encouraging them to spend time reading.
Getting children reading is an important thing in today’s society, where video games and electronic entertainment such as iPads and cell phones are taking over. This holiday, which is set aside for spending time reading with children and getting your children interested in books is important for everyone. Reading can encourage imaginations, give children confidence, and show them magical worlds. Sharing a love of books and reading with children is a gift that they will cherish for years to come – possibly even a lifetime.
A History of National Young Readers Day
You might be wondering where the ideal for National Young Readers Day came from, when it began, and who began this holiday that encourages young children to read and share stories with their families. National Young Readers Day was actually founded by Pizza Hut and The Center for the Book in the Library of Congress as a way to encourage families to read and spend time together. It was designed for parents to read with children, learn new ways of how to teach children to read, and to make them independent readers. The holiday, which was founded in 1989, has been a large part of schools, community events, and personal family celebrations for nearly thirty years!
Why Reading is Good for Young Children
If you read to your children and teach them how to read at a young age, you are giving your kids the gift that will last them a lifetime. Not only can it help young children do well in school and help boost their self esteem, but reading allows them to reach beyond the pages in a book and gives them the chance to explore brand new worlds, learn new vocabulary, and build on their cognitive and higher level thinking.
If you have a reluctant reader at home, or a child who spends more time doing other activities instead of reading, you might feel as though you’ll end up having a hard time getting children to read. One idea to combat that is to allow your child to pick out some books that will interest him or her. Take your child to the library or book store and allow him or her to select some books that have topics that will interest your child.
If your child is struggling with learning to read or hasn’t begun to focus on letters and phonics just yet, try enrolling your child in an online program or find a website that will allow you to read children’s books online for free. Sites like Red Cat Reading will give your child the help they need with any problem areas, or allow them to explore new reading concepts in a guided online environment with you for assistance. In case you are wondering when children learn to read, usually around the ages of 4-7 is when they develop important reading skills that they will continue to build upon throughout their lives.
If you find that your child is having a difficult time when it comes to learning or reading, have their eyesight checked – you might find out that they need children’s reading glasses. However, with so many fun and stylish frames to choose from, that can encourage your child to want to read!
For smaller children (and older children, too), you might enjoy curling up with a stack of books and reading together. Whether they be picture books or chapter books, or even middle grade novels, there are so many benefits in reading to children. Children will feel a love and bonding with you, and associate story time with happy memories. It will also encourage them to want to learn to read and tell their own stories!
Conclusion
Reading to children is important – every single day. If you are looking for a way to celebrate National Young Readers Day, consider visiting your local library, hosting a book drive, or simply settling in with some hot chocolate to have a story filled day. Throw a book themed party (think something like Harry Potter) with book themed snacks, decorations, and activities.
Red Cat Reading is a great way to help young children learn to read. The amazing program that you will find on their website provides help on specific letters, phonetic sounds, and reading strategies, as well as e-books, videos, songs, and quizzes to help children master the skills they have learned. This wonderful tool can be used a variety of ways to help your child learn new skills or build on existing skills.