September 8 is World Literacy Day. According to UNESCO while literacy is still a major concern around the world it is also a reason to celebrate because nearly 4 billion people are literate. To celebrate at home, READ.
How old should kids be to read to them? New research is showing that beginning before a child is even born is effective because a child hears the rhythm and patterns of language! And why read to them? In a National Institute for Literacy study, kindergartners who were read to 3 times a week had almost twice as much likelihood of scoring in the top quarter of the class. Wee little ones still sit for lots of reading, little ones may only make 2 or 3 pages before squirming off but bigger ones can sometimes manage a whole story.
Besides boosting readiness for kindergarten, reading is great fun. A variety of books is ideal but since the latest blogs are about backpacks, here’s a fun one: The Magic Backpack by Julia Jarman. For older munchkins, this backpack can magically travel. Kindergarten readiness here we come! Where would you like to go with a magic backpack?