During summer, our routines can be disrupted in so many ways, including our reading times. We’ve travelled a lot this summer as a family, working our way through the US National Parks (New River Gorge, Shenandoah, Mr. Rainier, Olympic, North Cascades, Acadia). While we travel, we make sure to keep on reading, and here are some of the tips we have used to keep reading a daily part of our summers whether at home or on the road.
5 Ways to Read Anywhere
- Make reading a part of your bedtime routine. We always read to wind down, and that works whether we are at home or at a hotel or in a tent.
- Listen to an Audiobook. Lots of moms I know use audiobooks during chores, but your kids can listen to audiobooks too! This is super fun on a long road trip, too, to keep everyone engaged and off screens in the car.
- Play reading games while you drive. A favorite one of ours is the Alphabet Game. You find all the letters in the alphabet in order from signs, calling out when you find one and what word it was in, racing to see who can get to Z first. My husband ALWAYS wins this one, but we still try to beat him.
- Carry a book with you. If you use a e-reader, like a Kindle, you can carry a whole library in a lighter package than one paper book. I love traveling with my Kindle, since books can get heavy in a backpack!
- Utilize free handouts/kids menus/activity books. Not every reading experience has to be a book. When kids are just learning to read, those games you find on kids menus can help them learn to read: word searches, easy crosswords, word scrambles, and even reading the food options are all reading. Use these times to help them have FUN reading!
BONUS: If you visit any of the US National Parks, be sure to stop at the Visitor’s Center and ask for a Junior Ranger book. Each park has their own activity books, and if your child does the number of activities needed for their age, they will get a Junior Ranger badge (my son is wearing one in the photo below). It’s usually really fun and gets my kids more into observing the park in a deeper way.
Author/Illustrator Updates:
Upcoming Storytime Event:
August 16 at 10:30am – Knight’s Nook, Yukon OK
Want an event near you?
With Back to School season approaching, I am currently booking storytime events and author visits. These events are fun, interactive, and engaging with songs, fingerplays, and reading for preschool-aged kids. I can also do author/illustrator chats for elementary aged kids.
If you know any bookstores or schools who might be interested in an event such as this, I would love to connect with them. Email me for more information at charlotte@charlotteglaze.com.
Book Reviews:
Picture Book: There’s No Place Like Gnome’s
Now available for preorder, this book comes out September 9th. I was able to read an advance copy and think you and your children might like to check out this tale about hospitality, friendship and environmental struggles facing animals (perhaps in your own backyard!) (Read full review)
Elementary/Middle Grade: The Tale of Despereaux
An adventurous, sophisticated, and touching story about a brave little mouse who faces his biggest fears in order to save a princess. This was our family’s read-aloud this past month, and we found it very engaging. (Read full review)
This newsletter is a free resource to help you in Building Up Families with Books. If you want to support this newsletter and Charlotte’s work as an author/illustrator, you can share it with a friend, purchasing my book, or leaving me a tip. Thank you!
Now, go read with your family!
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