READING OVER THE HOLIDAYS

According to research, children are more likely to read for pleasure when this behaviour is modelled by the adults in their lives. This means it’s especially important for educators and parents to work together for the best outcomes. Over the holidays, families may have opportunities to spend more time together, so below I have included some ideas to encourage reading for pleasure.

Make Time to Read Aloud - Who doesn’t love a story and a snuggle! Neuroscience research confirms connections between narrative reading in childhood, memory creation and life-long feelings of wellbeing. Reading the same book again and again creates neural pathways that link to positive emotions we can return to throughout life.

Read All the Things - Stories are a wonderful opening to different worlds, but that’s not all there is – lots of children are drawn to non-fiction, and comics are awesome too! Recipe books, magazines and craft books offer a wealth of possibilities for developing literacy and life skills, all while having fun.

Give Kids Choices - Research shows children are more engaged, learn more and make more effort when they choose reading materials for themselves. This is true even for very young children and when minimal choice is involved, such as selecting their preferred book from two options.

Try Podcasts and Audiobooks - Going on a family holiday or a long drive? A family audiobook is the perfect solution to keep passengers happy and drivers alert during long car trips. On breaks or between trips, everyone will love talking about the story and predicting what will happen next.

Make It Social - There are lots of ways to share a love of books and reading. Visiting your local library and joining in with some of the activities they might offer over the holidays is a good way of encouraging reading and exploration in children. Even being responsible for returning books on time can teach some basics of responsibility.

LILLIAN DEL GIUDICE

ASSISTANT PRINCIPAL