Family Reading Activities
By Brenda Hyde
March is National Reading Month and it's the perfect time to
plan some fun reading activities. First, check your local libraries
and museums for special fun they may be sponsoring this
month. Second, do some things with your kids that will
show them how special reading is and how much fun it can be!
Reading Quiz Show: Pick a book that everyone in the family
can take turns reading fairly quickly. Have each person write
down five questions or more to "quiz" the other family members
about the book. Let each person ask their questions and either
take turns answering aloud or write the answers down. The
person who has the most correct answers wins a small prize.
Make this a fun family night with pizza and snacks beforehand!
Book Theme Dinners: Pick a favorite book and make a dinner
or snack based on the book such as an Alice in Wonderland
tea party, a French dinner with Madeline, berries and milk
with Peter Rabbit and his friends, spaghetti and meatballs
with Frances in Bread and Jam for Frances by Russell Hoban,
or a British meal with Harry Potter. Let the kids help plan out
the meal, and take turns reading the book after eating!
Garden Fun: Read A Gardener's Alphabet by Mary Azarian,
Vegetable Alphabet Book by Jerry Pallotta or The Tiny Seed
by Eric Carle. Afterwards help each child plant their own seeds!
You can plant grass seed for a fast, fun project or let them start
their own vegetable and flowers. Use little peat pots so they can
transfer them into the garden in the spring.
Nightly Reading: If you aren't already, read a book EVERY
night before bed. Picture books are usually better than chapter
books if you still have toddlers. The older kids still like them,
and can help read aloud, and the younger ones enjoy it more.
Donations: If you are fortunate enough to own a lot of books,
use this month to sort through all of them, adult titles too,
and donate the books your kids have outgrown or the ones
you feel you won't read again. Donate them to a shelter or
another charity organization that will give them away!
About the Author:
Brenda Hyde is a freelance writer, editor and owner
of Old Fashioned Living.com. She is also a wife and
mom to three children who love to read.
