Time to Play: Raising a Reader

I am a reader. A few years back I was a book buyer. This meant that I was knee deep in some type of literature at least 16 hours out of my day. Can you say divine?

When I was pregnant, I knew this kid would be a reader, too. Her book collection started in utero and now rivals that of many adults. Sheโ€™s 3.

I remember reading to her when she was in the womb. She used to do somersaults as I read the bedtime books that I loved. As I transitioned from maternity leave, reading at night became part of the routine. Iโ€™d sit her on my lap facing out, and we would happily devour whatever literature we had in front of us. At 4 months she started flipping board book pages.

But that was nothing compared to what I have now. And all of this makes me think.

You see, my parents were not educated people. My dad didnโ€™t finish middle school and my mom didnโ€™t finish high school. How did I grow up with a passion for reading? I think Iโ€™ve captured it in three steps:

  1. Got books? They made sure I had books. I remember bringing home book club forms and library cards and they were all accepted with open arms in my house. I didnโ€™t always finish the gazillion books I checked out but they were there.
  2. Make it a game. I am always astounded as to how many โ€œgamesโ€ are played with children that contribute to reading. Theyโ€™re called pre-reading skills. Anything from creating a story around their toys to making a game out of finding different objects they can name around the room. I do this with my girl now but I remember life being so much fun then as I played with mom in the kitchen or sat with dad around the dining room table.
  3. Storytelling. My parents were not readers but they sure were storytellers. I found out a great deal about family and life by sitting down and listening to their stories. Storytelling involves language and a love of language leads to a love of books.

These are the three things that I remember my parents doing for me. To that, Iโ€™ve added making sure my girl has lots of playtime with age-appropriate toys. (I found out about the importance of age-appropriate toys here on Time to Play.) It has been amazing watching her imagination unfold: pretending to do anything from eating a cupcake made out of a basketball to going on a train ride to watching the imaginary circus.

I let her narrate stories for me. We take turns reading books and I make sure she has structured and unstructured playtime. Anything that allows her imagination to grow is a beautiful thing.

Donโ€™t forget to encourage dramatic play. Around here, we like to have concerts. As a parent, get into it. Nothing pleases your child more than seeing you sing and dance. For some of you, I suggest you bask in the sun because if you are like me and canโ€™t hold a note to save your life, your child will be asking you to stop singing before you know it.

Itโ€™s all about play. About building the connections and understanding that spoken and written words can stand for real objects and experiences. I love that, donโ€™t you? What advice do you have for those of us that wish to raise a reader?

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