In honor of Dr. Seuss’ birthday, March is designated as National Reading Month — a month to motivate Americans of all ages to read every day. Reading is fun and has many benefits, regardless of your age. It’s a key component of education and professional development. It also has immediate and long-lasting health benefits, such as increased cognitive function, memory, vocabulary, empathy and decreased levels of stress.
“Get ‘em reading tips”:
- Keep books everywhere.
- Read aloud… share the experience with your kids.
- Read together… make it an interactive experience with your kids.
- Graphic novels are a form of reading, use them.
- Use multiple forms of reading: ebooks, audiobooks, hard cover, etc.
- Take a trip to the bookstore and give your child a budget in cash to pick out and pay for their own book themselves. It’s a way to elicit excitement and ownership over their new reading material.
- Never make it seem like a chore. Approach reading in a positive light and role model reading… if you read snuggled up on the couch, they just may join you!
- Create a comfy, appealing reading nook and designate it as the reading spot. Nothing fancy — throw pillows and a bean bag makes a great reading spot.
Happy Reading!
