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Family Reading Time
Watch the video for tips on supporting your young reader!
Take the Family Quiz
Take the quiz and get reading tips personalized to your life.
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1. How does reading currently feel in your family?
Your Family is Ready to Gear Up
Your family is juggling a lot. Though it can be stressful to find time for it all, you’re making it work. Your family is ready for an organized reading journey! Here’s how your family can gear up.
Tips
- Plan the habit. Try taking a few minutes tonight to plan in advance for how you will slot reading time into your schedule.
- Include a book in your child’s bedtime routine. Read aloud to your child, or remind them to read a few pages of their book before bed.
- Schedule a library visit in advance for when you’re already out and about. (PS: Many libraries no longer charge fines for overdue books.)
- If you take a train or bus with your child, or wait at a laundromat, bring a book as a fun distraction.
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Prioritize choice. Empower your child to choose their own
books, which is proven to increase reading motivation. Ideas:
- Have your child browse the library shelves and/or share their interests with a librarian.
- Children also enjoy rereading old favorites, which builds comfort, understanding, and vocabulary.
Your Family is Ready to Power Up
Your family are adventurous readers! You read all sorts of stories and texts. This is a great way for your child or children to build background knowledge and vocabulary, so they can continue to succeed as they grow. Here’s how your family can power up.
Tips
- Grow vocabulary. Try modeling for your children the habit of looking up unfamiliar words in the dictionary.
- Read together. Your child benefits from independent reading as well as reading with you. Take turns reading to each other, and discuss books.
- Level up. Encourage your child to complete a “reading challenge” in which they try to meet a goal, such as a number of books read or a checklist of a variety of types of books. You can find reading challenge options online or at your library or school.
Your Family is Ready to Level Up
Your family is ready to thrive as readers. Learning to read takes time. Your support makes a real difference in your child’s reading journey! Here’s how your family can level up.
Tips
- Be positive. Celebrate every step forward your child makes.
- Read together. Take turns reading to each other. Make it cozy and fun—snuggle under the covers or make a blanket fort.
- Support. Talk honestly with your child about reading struggles and why it’s worth continuing. Ask them to brainstorm the benefits.
- Empower. Let your child choose their own books and see you doing the same.
- Practice phonics. Ask your child's teacher how you can support specific reading skills at home.
Need support? Email [email protected]
Family Book Talk
Use the Ask and Share questions to discuss these books with your child.
Self-Awareness
Where’s Rodney?
Rodney would rather be outside than in the classroom. When his class takes a field trip, he is able to enjoy the majesty of nature.
Cody and the Heart of a Champion
Many things in Cody’s life are changing. With help from her friends and family, Cody is able to handle the new experiences coming her way.
Family Book Talk
Use the Ask and Share questions to discuss these books with your child.
Challenges and Solutions
The Girl With a Mind for Math
In this biography, Raye Montague becomes an engineer, even though other people don’t believe in her. She invents a new way to design ships using math and computers!
Harlem Grown: How One Big Idea Transformed a Neighborhood
Mr. Tony has the idea to turn an abandoned lot into a garden. Nevaeh’s class learns how to grow plants and to give back to the community.
Key Hunters: The Mysterious Moonstone
Evan and Cleo are transported from their school library into a mystery book. With the help of the book’s detective, they help solve the mystery.
Family Book Talk
Use the Ask and Share questions to discuss these books with your child.
Exploring With STEM
The Rainbow Mystery
When little rainbows mysteriously appear on the living room wall, friends Annie and Mike start thinking like scientists to figure out where they came from.
Pedro Goes to Mars
When Pedro learns it takes Mars 687 days to go around the sun, meaning he’ll have to wait 687 days between birthdays, he becomes unsure about traveling to Mars.
The Elephant’s New Shoe
Chhouk, a baby elephant, has a terrible foot injury and can barely walk. Can Nick create an artificial foot that works for Chhouk?
Family Reading Tips
Here are some easy, powerful ways to support your child with their reading!
Ask Questions About the Book
- Start conversations by asking open-ended questions rather than questions that have yes or no answers.
- Ask, “How would you feel if you were the main character in this situation, and why?”
- Take turns sharing your thoughts and ideas, too.
Build Skills at Home
- Make books easy to reach and reread at home. Rereading books:
- helps children to understand a book more deeply
- increases vocabulary, and
- adds comfort and ease to reading.
Encourage and Connect
- When children can see themselves in a story, they connect more deeply to it.
- Look for positive qualities (like bravery and teamwork) while reading or discussing books with your child.
- Remind them of times where they—or you—showed the same qualities.
Reading Milestones
- If you want more information on how to support your child as a reader, reach out to their teacher. You can ask:
- Is my child reading on grade level?
- What books would be a good fit for my child?
- Is there anything specific we should be working on at home?