Let’s Start Reading!
Hello! My name is Candice, and I'm a lover of all books. Spending hours in a bookstore or library brings me great joy. In my former life, I worked for about five years as part of the Nashville Public Library's children department. Story time was my absolute favorite activity. These days, I'm a stay-at-home mom to Eleanor. Children's literacy is at the top of my list of interests, and I'm so excited for the chance to share some tips, information and love with you
Hello friends!
Welcome to Bridge to Books — a place where we do our best to promote early childhood literacy to our community. Now, you may be thinking, why is this so important? Because your child is a sponge. They learn so many things each day, and the more resources you provide, the more they will soak up. Let's give your child the best we can, and what better way to do that than by signing up for Bridge to Books!?
Here are some everyday tips to help you out!
1. Have books in your child's play areas.
This means ready and available for them to get to them at every stage of their development. It's great to mix them in with their toys, because it tells them that they can play with their books too-which is exactly what you want them to do! Even from an early age, books can teach your child. When they are younger, babies learn by using their mouths, so biting their board books isn't necessarily a bad idea. They're learning to turn pages and the concepts of how books work. As they get older, they can help you turn the pages as you read!
2. Try to read every day.
This isn't something to beat yourself up over, but rather to keep in mind and do as you can. Put reading into your daily schedule if you have one. As your kids grow, it will help them to keep learning and to be more open to reading. You hopefully won't have to push reading onto a child that hates reading if you're offering it at a younger age. We shoot for about 20 minutes each day of reading in our house. It doesn't always happen, but it's a goal.
3. Read anywhere.
You don't have to be in the perfect place to read with your child. Do it when and where you can. The other day, Eleanor brought me a book she wanted to read, so when I had a break in cooking time, we sat on the kitchen floor and read the book. Be open to reading anywhere and anytime, and it will be much easier to reach that 20 minute goal of reading each day!
4. Show your child that you read too through example.
At these ages, your child wants to be like you. Show them a good example of reading by yourself too!
5. Make reading fun!
Find the learning books, but allow them to pick out their own books too. This helps them take ownership over what they're reading, which makes them even more interested. If they pick out something that also teaches them something, even better!
6. Sign up for easy and free ways of getting books for your child
Sign up for Bridge to Books and get a library card. You don't have to have a bunch of money to provide your child these resources.
