Fact: 1 in 4 children can’t read!
The other day a friend asked for suggestions on how to encourage her boy to read. Overall, girls read non-stop at the first chance they have but boys can be a little different. Focusing on sports, friends, and many other activities instead of wanting to sit down and read.
So I’ve been thinking, trying to help as much as I can as literacy is a key factor in life so it’s something I want to help encourage, for her and all mothers of reluctant readers, specifically boys.
1) Sending You Sammy
2) The 39 Clues Books
3) Beyond books their are recipes. Get your kids in the kitchen, choosing and reading recipes to help you create something. Reading isn’t always about sitting down with a book, it can be creating something fabulous to be proud of.
4) Have them write a relative a letter or a story about their day. Maybe have them write down instructions of something they want you to learn and they love to do. Find something that interests them immensely and find the literacy behind it.
5) Play a game! Invite your kids to play games like Sorry!, Scrabble or BrainQuest to include the whole family. Have them read the cards aloud, try to stump you with a riddle or start sending riddles in their lunches to try to stump them. Start their day with an email or a word game with their breakfast and promise you’ll give them the answer at the end of the day – and do it!
Be sure to have fun with this. If your kids see you stressing and forcing books on them it won’t work. Encourage reading and let them feel empowered with making their own choices with how to embrace literacy. And be sure to enter the contest below to help you find books you love and buy some books for your children!
Thank you for reading,
Sarah Butland
author of Sending You Sammy
