PK through Kindergarten
While most preschoolers love being read to, only 10% of high school children read for pleasure. The best way to help your child grow up to be among that 10% is to cultivate their identity as a reader. Book Club Culture shows you how to do that.
“Books are like watermelon, but screens are like candy. If you want your child to fall in love with books, you have to put the ‘candy’ away most of the time.”
Key Strategies
- Surround your child with books that excite and delight them. Use the 3 question test: 1) Can you picture the scene in your mind’s eye? 2) Do the word choices seem rich and varied? 3) Are you interested in finding out what happens next?
- Read aloud with your child (all the way into middle school). Read stories with your preschooler, not to them. Adapt content and context to keep them engaged.
- Share delights, ideas and personal growth that come from books. Let your child see you with your own book and tell them something about what you’re reading.
- Create distraction-free zones where reading can flourish. In practice, this means that screens should be out of sight most of the time.
Additional Resources
Book: How to Raise a Reader, Pamela Paul and Maria Russo
Book Club Culture: Preschool