Before I even delivered my boys, my husband and I vowed that we would read to our kids from the very beginning of their lives. I incorporated reading time into the bedtime routine when my boys were newborns, reading books like Goodnight Moon or I Love You Stinky Face before putting them down in their cribs. I probably enjoyed this early reading more than they did back then, but I knew getting them used to reading every night would be good for them in the long run.
All that reading continues to pay off. They are easy to put to bed because of our routine, and now my oldest son is taking over some of the reading time. It’s fun to watch the development.
Biz, at four, is becoming more and more interested in how letters are put together to form words. He often writes arbitrary letters on a piece of paper – sometimes forwards and sometimes backwards – and then asks me what words he spelled.
When we received a LeapFrog Tag reading system and book, Biz was elated because he could do the “reading” just like Mom and his brother with his “wand.” And because he’s a huge fan of dinosaurs, he could test his knowledge by playing the games after reading each page of his Leap and the Lost Dinosaur book. He was so proud to take the coveted spot on the bed in between me and his brother at bedtime. In that middle spot, he was the reader.
This month is LeapFrog Reading Month. Reading to your child just 20 minutes a day can make a a big difference. According to the Leapfrog website:
Before I even delivered my boys, my husband and I vowed that we would read to our kids from the very beginning of their lives. I incorporated reading time into the bedtime routine when my boys were newborns, reading books like Studies show that the more children read, the better readers they become. In one study, children who read 20 or more minutes per day scored in or above the 90th percentile; those who read less than 10 minutes scored below the 75th percentile.
Not only does reading to your children make them better future readers, it also helps them become more engaged with the material they are reading. As a writer and lover of books, this is exactly what I want for my kids. The ability to truly enjoy and feel a connection to words.
LeapFrog has been generous enough to offer a very cool prize pack worth approximately $50 to one of my readers. The prize pack includes Tag Leap and the Lost Dinosaur, Tag Get Ready for Kindergarten, Tag Junior Toddler Milestones, Tag Junior Animals Around the World. I’ll make it easy on you to enter. Simply comment on this post and tell me how you incorporate reading to your children in your day to enter the giveaway. You have until Thursday, March 21st to comment and enter.
Even if you don’t win the prize pack, you can get $3 off Tag products right now by visiting this link for a coupon.
Happy Reading!
I was selected for this opportunity by Clever Girls Collective but content and opinions expressed here are my own. To take the LeapFrog Reading Month pledge, please visit their Facebook page. #LFReadingMonth #spon
Update (3/21/13): The winner of the LeapFrog prize pack was Jody KC!
