Unwrap the Magic of Books This Season TURN HOLIDAY TRADITIONS INTO STORYTIME ADVENTURES
The holidays are here, and with all the festivities and family time, it’s a perfect opportunity to unwrap the magic of books with your children. Books make great gifts, but there are also fun ways to mix reading into some of your beloved seasonal traditions or create brand-new ones. From opening a new book every night as part of a holiday countdown to learning about new holiday traditions worldwide, you can find countless ways to make reading a joyful part of your celebrations. CREATE SEASONAL READING RITUALS. No matter what holidays you celebrate, you can use books to build excitement up to the big day. Create a holiday book countdown or book advent calendar where your children get to unwrap a new book for each day. You can choose as many days as you want and opt for easy, fun picture books. Read the
stories together each night, giving everyone a page to read out loud. Create a holiday book stack by collecting the seasonal books in your collection and piling them in the living room. Not only will it be a unique decoration and keep books front and center, but it will also encourage your family to open them up. Add a new book each year to make it into an anticipated family tradition. You can even include stories about festive traditions and holidays from all over the world to teach them how other cultures celebrate. GIVE PAPERBACK PRESENTS. When your children are creating their wish lists, encourage them to include books. You can use the “want, need, wear, read” technique to help guide them and make your holiday shopping easier. Ask them to select one item for each category that they would like. This will give them an active role in the
home library and help them learn about wants versus needs. When family and friends ask what to get your children, point them to age-appropriate stories. A love of reading is one of the best gifts we can share with our little ones. The holiday season is a wonderful time to make books part of your most beloved celebrations. If you want to give your child the gift of reading and writing confidence, contact The Reading Ranch to learn more about our programs.
Snow Much Fun Keep Kids Reading and Writing All Winter Long
Books on the Road If you’re going on a family vacation or day trip over the break, bring books along for the ride. One of the best options is an audiobook. You can pick out a story as a group, and the kids will enjoy listening to the actors read the parts while they listen along. This is a great way to enjoy storytelling together and gives them an example of what animated reading out loud sounds like. Just because school is out for the winter, it doesn’t mean there has to be a deep freeze on your children’s reading and writing progress. By setting time aside for learning and keeping things fun, your little learners will see storytime as another perk of the holiday break.
simple as 30 minutes of reading or journaling, or you can add enriching field trips to local museums or the library. Schedules help kids stay on track and ensure everything they have learned stays fresh. Real Life Practice Words are all around us in everyday life, so your children can get practice by helping with household errands or activities. Spend time preparing meals together, and have them read the grocery list and cooking instructions. This will introduce them to new words and give them practice in following directions, an essential skill in the classroom. You can also have them write holiday cards or thank-you notes. It’s a practical way to get more writing experience and helps drive home the importance of gratitude.
As the school days grow shorter and children prepare for the winter break, many kids’ attention spans start to drift. As parents, there are ways to help keep your little learners excited about writing and reading, even when their brains are already in vacation mode. By scheduling time for learning activities and a few creative ideas to keep it fun, this time outside the classroom can still be full of reading and writing growth. Winter Warm-Up Keep their skills sharp this season by creating a winter break work routine. You can make a calendar and keep it somewhere everyone can see, and include a learning activity or small assignment to complete daily. These can be as
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