You may not know, but National Family Literacy Day is November 1st! This is a great time to gather around as a family and read together some of your favorite books. Your kids may love or hate reading, so this month can be a great time to support either side of the spectrum and get your kids reading more!
The Details
First proclaimed in 1994, Americans realized through a statistic-based study that nearly 20-27 million Americans didn’t have sufficient reading skills for higher training and workforce. The National Family Literacy Day was created in 1994 to help combat these numbers, and bring families together. Reading out loud and as a family can help develop core skills needed for when your children grow up, so reading is always encouraged, no matter the age!
Although November 1st is the official day of National Family Literacy Day, some libraries and other organizations celebrate it all month long! You can always double check with your local businesses and libraries to see what events are happening around the day or later in the month.
Bringing Your Kids Together
Reading is a fundamental skill that every child should grasp, at the least the basics. If they struggle with reading on their own, you can assist them in feeling comfortable with reading by reading out loud, and helping them with the words that throw them off. If they are particularly sensitive to reading out loud, have them read to their pets if they have any, or even a stuffed animal or action figure. This can help them have an “audience” but without the full pressure of someone knowing what is right or wrong when they mess up a word. This style of reading can help build your child’s confidence in reading out loud and learning to pronounce slowly but surely!
If your child is a star when it comes to reading, then this is the month for them! Have your children pick their favorite book and have them read it either out loud or by themselves (or a combination of the two, depending on how long it is!). It’s also a great time to visit your local library and stock up on new books for your kids to enjoy! It won’t be long until they run through those, and November is all about celebrating the art of reading so be sure to get plenty of books. Happy reading!
Katie Kyzivat