Discover the joy of reading with Book Clubs and Book Fairs
Discover the joy of reading with Book Clubs and Book Fairs
Story time has never been more fun or engaging for everyone!
There are few things more special than story time with the whole family. These four fun reading activities recommended by teachers are not only a great way to boost your child’s reading skills, but they’ll also instill a lifelong love for books!
As a family, read How Do Dinosaurs Learn to Be Kind?—a funny picture book about dinosaurs learning the importance of empathy and compassion for others and teaching young readers that being kind is cool! Your child will learn all about being a good person, practicing good manners, and telling someone they’re special through the author and illustrator’s engaging story.
After reading, encourage your child to transform into a “Kindness Ninja” and do random—and secret—acts of kindness. These kind acts will help your young reader connect to the world around them.
“When children start making connections between the world and themselves, they start to have a deeper understanding of why characters respond the way they do, which in turn builds deeper comprehension skills,” says Avery Lieske, a third-grade teacher.
If you’re looking to harness the power of social-emotional learning at home, there’s no better way than to explore a book this school year. Wemberly Worried is an ideal title to start with.
Wemberly is a little mouse who worries about everything. She worries that her doll Petal doesn’t have a car seat, she worries that nobody will come to her birthday party, and she worries that too many kids will have the same costume in the Halloween parade. But most of all, Wemberly worries about starting school.
After reading, encourage your child to draw or write about their worries on a sheet of paper. Then, while your child shares their worries, ask them to roll up the paper until it’s a tiny ball.
“Once the paper is in a little ball and they have gotten all of their worries out, they can throw it away,” says Lieske. “Anytime they have a worry they can talk it out, write it out, and throw it away.”
The Word Collector is ideal for deeply engaging your child and showing them just how magical words can be. You can find The Word Collector and other Peter H. Reynolds titles about creativity in the Peter Reynolds Pack.
“This book gives you and your child the opportunity to discuss shades of meaning, synonyms, antonyms, and how to speak and write with more detail and flair,” says Josh Blackburn, a second-grade teacher.
After reading, Blackburn suggests helping your child create their own word jar or word journal and asking them to record any new words they discover while reading independently or with you. “Then take a moment to look up the meaning of that word with your child and help them use it in their own writing,” he says.
Enter the world of insects with help from The Magic School Bus! There are plenty of fun facts about bees available in The Magic School Bus®: Inside a Beehive.
When The Magic School Bus turns into a beehive, Ms. Frizzle’s class learns firsthand about how workers, drones, and the queen live together. Readers will be abuzz with knowledge as they discover how honeybees find food, make honey and beeswax, and care for each other.
“For an added adventure, take your child outside and go on an insect hunt,” says Blackburn. “If you find an insect you cannot identify, there are a variety of insect identifying apps for your smartphone that will keep you and your child learning more about the insects in your environment.”
Encourage a love of reading with help from our guide, which includes book recommendations by interest, tips for getting your child to read for fun, reading activities, and much more.
Shop popular books for family read-alouds below! You can find all books and activities on Scholastic Book Clubs.
CAUTION: THIS BOOK BITES! Kids and parents alike will delight in this interactive picture book about a loveable monster who just wants to be your friend!
Help unicorn up by using your finger wand and listening to its worries in this interactive book with an important social-emotional message about expressing your emotions!
A little girl is determined to express herself in this inspiring picture book that celebrates creativity and the power of imagination, featuring mixed-media illustrations and lyrical text.
Kids are brimming with big emotions! This helpful picture book shows them how to navigate their feelings by talking things through and seeing the situation from different points of view.
In this upbeat picture book, two children head to school and learn about the many ways they can build loving connections with other students and their community.
In this powerful and lyrical picture book, a young girl learns to love and celebrate her appearance. An empowering tale of self-acceptance and respect for one’s roots.
This special story, from award-winning activist Sunshine Quem Tenasco and artist Chief Lady Bird, introduces readers to concepts of self-acceptance, self-empowerment, and recognition of the unique beauty that comes from within.
Originally published by Scholastic Parents on Jun 10, 2022. Versioned for Scholastic Canada.
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