One of my favorite activities is to read stories to young children;
somehow you cannot help but get caught up in their excitement!! When my kids were young I read to them daily.
Sometimes I found it was difficult as I was tired and knew that a pile of laundry
the size of Chicago threatened my basement, not to mention the dishes that felt
as tall as Mount Everest on the counter…sometimes I would try to hurry the
process by ‘missing’ a page (which rarely worked) but regardless of the chaos
surrounding us we always made time for a book or two (or three).
Encouraging children to develop a love of reading at an
early age lays the foundation for strong literacy skills, which are crucial for
future success. Exposing babies to books
and reading increases vocabulary, makes it easier for them to learn to read
later on, and it offers opportunities for positive interactions with the adults
in their lives. Early exposure to language—whether through books, words, or
songs—can help prevent problems and promote health.
As a grandma I feel fortunate to see the benefits of reading
again and again. My children all grew up loving to read, to learn and to escape
into a world of fantastical wonder. I was able to take my love of books and
make it part of my everyday existence though a job I love (it is a lot of fun
to see all the new books months in advance!) And now I see that love has
filtered through a generation to my beloved grandson.
Each week, we do a grandma date night…sometimes we let mommy
come along as well. This week we spent some time in the bookstore reading and
exploring. After we had read a number of
stories it was time to pick the ‘MOST favorite’ one, the one that would finish out its
life on the family bookshelf. It was (and is) so much fun to watch as he starts
to narrow down the choices, returning one after another to the store shelf
until only the two ‘best’ ones are left. Then it is time to choose, to run
joyfully to the counter to pay and hold the book tightly as we exit the store
in search of a good place to have a night snack before heading home.
This week’s winner was a delightful book about Pete the Cat
written by Eric Litwin, a popular
performer who delights thousands of children
and families every year… and I can see why. Designed to be fun and help
children with word recognition this is one of my new favorites. Apparently Austin
thinks so too as he woke up early (as in 5:30 early) to read it to his mommy in
bed. Watching this video my heart melts because here is a child who
obviously loves to read…and because the legacy of literacy continues on.
~Denise
Here are some other great books to help foster a love of reading at a young age:
God Knows All About Me~ Kate Toms
Jesus Storybook Bible~ Sally Lloyd-Jones
