You’re a busy family, driving to sports, spending time with friends and family, whatever. But your kids still can read even if they’re away from your comfy couch!
So how to you encourage children to read when you’re on the go – in the car, at brother’s basketball game, waiting for the doctor, . . . ? Here are some ideas you might try.
If you already have tried these, which are your favorites? Why?
Reading on the Go
1. Audio Books
We get car sick so we can’t read in the car. That’s the big reason we love books on CD for the car. Buy or rent them (much cheaper) from the library, just watch out for scratches on the library CDs.
(Books on CD are also great for quiet time, sick days and when mom or dad doesn’t have time to read aloud to you right this second.)
2. Playaways
Also at the library and for sale, like the The Golden Compass, available at Playaways.com.
3. Street Signs
My beginning reader is so into speed limit signs. Which is totally cramping my style because her sister, who can see onto the dashboard, likes to announce my speed limit, do some mental math, and tell me how much I’m speeding. Grrrreat.
4. Books
Bring a bag of favorite picture books or a chapter books with you everywhere. Don’t forget to bring a back-up chapter book for your child AND one for yourself, too.
5. eBooks (electronic books)
Parents worry that eBooks will decrease a child’s physical book reading. I think it’s a valid concern, especially with the multi-media books (talking pictures, sounds and so forth.)
From Ethic’s Newsline: “According to the Scholastic researchers, parents think digital devices negatively affect “the time kids spend reading books (41 percent), doing physical activity (40 percent), and engaging with family (33 percent).” Turns out they’re onto something. “As age increases,” says the report, “the time kids spend reading declines in direct opposition to the time kids spend going online for fun and using a cell phone to text or talk.”” The report goes on to say that most kids who have tried eBooks prefer a physical book over an eBook.
However, there is limited research showing a positive benefit for children with ADHD reading eBooks.
Barnes and Noble recently came out with a portable eReader for kids which is shown above. It’s specifically for kids because it includes picture books, other eReaders don’t usually except the iPad. (One reason for the late arrival of picture eBooks is concerns from authors and illustrators about page size reduction and cropping of illustrations.)
6. iPod Audio Book
Books for an iPod come from many different stores besides the Apple store. Audible.com, Amazon.com, Barnes and Noble, the library, are just a few of the most popular stores.
Also, don’t forget to get kid-friendly headphones with volume control!
logo by Elizabeth O. Dulemba
Share a Story Day Three!
This post is part of Share a Story Shape a Future Day Three, hosted by Danielle at There’s a Book. Please visit her and the other bloggers who are posting today about Literacy 2.0.
- Carisa Kluver from Digital Storytime (blog address: http://digital-storytime.com/wp/)
With iPad books that look more like toys and entertainment how likely are they to be used as tools for literacy and how does it affect the reader, children? - Eric Van Raepenbusch from Happy Birthday Blog (blog address: http://www.happybirthdayauthor.com/)
Using video to extend the meaning of a book beyond its pages, teach basic skills, entertain, and provide primary sources of information. The post includes examples of all these ideas, plus ideas to produce your own video as a literacy activity. And that’s not all….there are links to the sources of video I have used to write my blog. - Chris Singer from Book Dads (blog address: http://bookdads.com/)
Using the Nook Color with young, beginning readers. - Pam van Hylckama Vlieg from Bookalicio.us (blog address: http://bookalicio.us/category/blog/)
Using technology to foster a love of reading in the home. - Holly Slotkin from LitLad (blog address: http://litlad.blogspot.com/)
Using apps/iPhones/iPads/Tablets/etc - Susan Stephenson from the Book Chook (blog address: http://www.thebookchook.com/)
Online Resources for Reading and Writing - Jonathan Auxier from The Scoop (blog address: http://www.thescop.com/)
Hasta la Vista, Hardy Boys: No e-reader can compare to the beauty of a book on a shelf, ready to be re-opened at any time … but what about books you don’t want on your shelf forever? - Paul W. Hankins from Mr. Hankins is Reading and Writing in Kentuckiana (blog adress: http://paulwhankins.edublogs.org/)
Digitizing the classroom. How digital media can be used in a classroom setting to enhance the literacy experience. - Mary Ann Scheuer from Great Kid Books (blog address: http://greatkidbooks.blogspot.com/)
E-books for children, tweens and young adults - Jennifer Vincent from Teach Mentor Texts (blog address: http://www.teachmentortexts.com/)
Using technology to encourage kids to read. Specifically by having a blog for students and offering books in different formats like on the Nook and as audiobooks. - Miss Remmers from Miss Remmers’ Reviews (blog address: http://www.missremmersreview.com/)
Taking a classroom into the digital realm with limited funding. Stop by to see which teaching tools Miss Remmers uses on a daily basis.
Giveaway!
PicPocket Books will provide 10 free book app downloads for readers today. The winners will be selected from the comments left here or any of the above posts as well as from the “link-up” for the day’s writing prompt.
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Brendalynn Love says
I have never seen the playaway recorded books and I am going to do more research because I think my 3rd grade students would love them!
Melissa Taylor says
they’re really great — expensive to buy so if you can find them at the library, you’ll be set!
Katie Newton says
My 4yo loves read-to-me apps on my phone, especially at restaurants
Melissa Taylor says
that sounds fun!
Tiny Reader says
I’m getting us some kid-friendly headphones asap!
Tif says
Wonderful, wonderful post! I added a few of my own games that we play that can promote and encourage literacy. I included them in my summary and response post for this day of Share a Story: http://www.tiftalksbooks.com/2011/03/sas-saf-literacy-20.html . . . In a nutshell, we play the alphabet game, but we have a multitude of versions that we play and we keep Doodle Pros in our car for each child. They can draw pictures, but also practice their writing while on errands!
Chris (@book_dads) says
Hey Melissa, great stuff as usual! Do you think Tessa could do audio book cds in the car or is she too young?
Melissa Taylor says
probably, why don’t you try at home first and see how she does? Can’t wait to hear.
Sarah Towle says
Great post! Testament to the fact that Story is alive and well and that Reading is not being compromised by new digital formats – on the contrary, more choices may even mean more Reading. Love it!
Delighted to have found your site! Will happily share a link to this post on my blog.
Sarah
Holly says
Great post, as usual.
My boys still like actual books better than e-books. They need to ask permission to use the iPad or iPod Touch, but they don’t need to ask to read the 50 books they made me get from the library or any of the books we own, so I’m not worried about them reading fewer real books.
The1stdaughter (Danielle) says
Fantastic post! I love the mention of audiobooks. It’s something I don’t even think about for kids for some reason, maybe cost, but I hadn’t thought about getting them from the library (duh). I think that as my kiddos get older it will become a great resource to them, as well as a help because of the car sickness issue.
Wonderful post and a great list of resources! Thank you so much for participating today Melissa!
Melissa Taylor says
I highly recommend Doreen Cronin’s books because the narrator’s voice and the sound effects are totally perfect and entertaining. See what you think!
Robin says
Environmental print is so important in my teaching. My students come from low-income families and many don’t have the money for technology (most don’t have internet or cable). So I encourage my students to read all around them. Also, the old-fashioned, turn-the-page, hold-in-your-hand book is high priority in my class. I encourage students to borrow as many books as they want from our classroom library that is filled with “much loved” books that have been donated from many families.
Eric - Happy Birthday Author says
We love audio books in the car. When my daughter was two years old, I remember feeling a “new parent” sense of accomplishment when we made a hour and half trip in the car without the DVD player.
I have never used a Playaways but I saw they were available at our library. I am going to have to check them out.
One last thing, one of first words my daughter read was the word “pizza” on a sign! Signs are awesome! Great ideas!
Book Chook says
Love these resources! And I so agree with Dawn – I want a kids’ e-reader too!
Melissa Taylor says
Susan,
Right back at ya – your resources today (and always) are incredible! Do you sleep?
🙂 m
PragmaticMom says
My iPhone is loaded up with ebook apps and I do find that I use them to kill a ten minute chunk of time while waiting at a pick up or whatever with my 6-year-old. Our favorite are the ones by Dr. Seuss because the stories are, of course, wonderful but the app is also interactive.
I posted on Dr. Seuss ebook apps a lot (it’s actually quite embarrassing) here: http://www.pragmaticmom.com/?p=9529
Melissa Taylor says
I’m totally behind in this so here’s my question for you — do you consider the multi-media eBooks the same as the non-interactive eBooks? In other words, are they entertainment or reading? I’ve been wondering.
Terry Doherty says
I love your example of when reading backfires on Mom. We have a backseat driver in our house, too! Catherine loves audio books, particularly folktales; and has asked to take some of those CDs even on short trips. We have not yet tried Playaways … I think that’s next.
Melissa Taylor says
Maybe if she were distracted by the Playaways, she wouldn’t backseat drive?? 🙂
Jaimie says
Great ideas. I wish my kiddos liked audio books for longer car rides, but they don’t. At least they are able to read in the car without getting sick!
Melissa Taylor says
How old are your kids?
Dawn Morris says
I absolutely LOVE how you’ve put together so many different kinds of learning tools! What a great example of how literacy really is all around us, from street signs, to books, to audio books an eReaders.
I had no idea that Barnes and Noble had come out with a special eReader for children, which includes picture books. I would love to have one of those – not for my kids (who are now teenagers), but for myself! I’ll never grow out of them, and even though I do prefer to turn the pages of books-in-print, it would save me a significant amount of book-seeking time if I could access them through technology. I just wonder how many of them are available, as I tend to seek out lesser-known (and not necessarily the most recent) ones. Thanks for the heads up, Melissa.
Also, the icing on the cake for me is how you looked at the pros and the cons here. Even though advanced technology can be an amazing tool, it is one of many, and like anything else, it can have negative effects if we get too much. Moderation is always the key.
I especially appreciate how you called attention to the fact that headphones, while convenient, can be hazardous if children set them too loud or use them for too long. My 13 year old uses them every day, and he feels like I’m always nagging him to turn them down or take them off. Volume control really helps, though. But really, they’re a blessing and a curse at the same time!
Anyway, thanks for looking at this from so many different angles, Melissa!
Melissa Taylor says
If you get one, let me know what you think – I’m very curious.
(Dear Barnes and Noble, how about a few for us bloggers to try out??)
I still think books, real books, should be our primary reading diet, don’t you?