If you wait, it’s too late! Reading matters. Every age. Every Stage.
Readaloud.org joins the American Academy of Pediatrics in urging parents and caregivers to read aloud to babies and young children for at least 15 minutes every day.
The research makes it clear that books promote brain development, and the ages from birth to three years are crucial. Other benefits include language development, literacy building, and a love of reading.
Yet, according to the non-profit, only “48% of young children are read to each day.”
So grab a kiddo and a good book, and cuddle up for 15 minutes of daily reading time. The love you instill in your young reader will last a lifetime and also have long term benefits related to not only their academic success, but indeed to their overall happiness, well beyond their early years.
To learn more and for source information, visit: readaloud.org
I am so excited to continue my work as a Read Aloud 15 partner. The reality is that 15 minutes of reading aloud daily, starting at birth, can change the face of education in our country.
Early literacy opens up educational opportunity for a lifetime. It’s a cause I feel passionately about & I’m thrilled to be among those selected to spread this message, with the help of my site collegereadycoach.com. It feels like a gift (to me) actually, to be able to do this kind of work.
Our next campaign kicks off in March, but I’m available ~any time~ to provide materials, (handouts, bookmarks, etc) and/or to talk with you or your organization about the importance of reading aloud to kids…Every Child, Every Day.
Read to a child! Reading just 15 minutes a day makes a big difference. Over the course of a year, that 15 minutes adds up to just over 90 hours! And it’s fun!!
We know that kids that love to read, do read. Because generally, we enjoy doing things we are “good” at. So, reading to your child from a very early age (from birth!! but it’s never too late to start!!) instills into them a lifelong love of reading. What a simple but huge way to make a difference in the life of a child!
Throughout the month, I’ll be posting about the Readaloud 15 campaign, including the really super fun part for a book nerd like me: book suggestions!! Hey, if you have an amazing book that you’d like to recommend for kids 12 and under, please post it in the comments.
In fact, if you have anything to tell us, about reading, early literacy, or education, post a comment. We love comments, almost as much as we love books.
Have an wacky, wild, reading a good book, kinda day,
Did you know there’s a 30 million word gap between children in this country, due to socio-economic factors? We need to do something about that. We can’t let our youngest children down like this. We need to nuture each and every one of our children to grow, blossom, thrive!
I’m excited to announce that I’ve been appointed a “Read Aloud 15” ambassador for readaloud.org. Many of you know that I am passionate about early literacy, books, and all things reading-related + the importance of educational opportunity, access & equality.
I was honored to be asked to partner with this national non-profit, and I’m excited to help spread this message. All month long, I’ll be posting here, and on our CollegeReadyCoach facebook page, about the “Let’s Talk Harvest” October campaign, encouraging parents to read aloud with their children for 15 minutes a day.
Please share these posts. Why? Because reading changes lives.
Make sure your students continue to read this summer. Reading leads to greater success in both college and career, and greater engagement in community events and civic issues that are important to us all. Reading truly is the road to success.
Here are 6 tips and 5 apps to make it easier to hop on the road to summer reading:
Ahhh, Summer. To students, it means freedom and fun and lazy days with friends. With so much free time, this could also mean the perfect opportunity for your teen to try out volunteering at a local non-profit.
Often, teens need community service  for a high school requirement. Others want to volunteer as part of their preparations for applying to colleges and universities. But that isn’t what summertime is all about. Summer is about the unknown, trying new things, and finding new paths. That’s why trying on a new role as a volunteer is the perfect way to help others and have some fun in the sun! Endless opportunities exist for teens to get their feet wet and find an authentic way to get involved. Some teens will love the fast pace of organizing a soccer match at a youth camp, while others will love the serenity of restoring a park trail.
One simple suggestion–I am a big fan of libraries, and summer reading programs. These programs often use kids as young as 13 as volunteers to sign up participants, and help run events. It gives your child a chance to start small. Typically, a teen volunteers for a one-two hour shift just once a week. These programs couldn’t run without the help of the teens who show up each summer.
Check out what is going on locally this summer in your area and you just might find you have a teen that wants to get involved. A quick and easy web search will help you find an organization in need. One great resource is VolunteerMatch.org. They’ve connected over 7.9 million volunteers with opportunities to help in their communities.
Community service isn’t just a buzz word for a college application. It’s about all the good we do, and the good we feel, when we help others in need.
Whether you like the great outdoors, or prefer the great American novel, there’s an Opp for That! An opportunity to volunteer, that is. Here are more organizations that are in need of teens to volunteer in their programs:
United Way Be a reading mentor to a child who needs a little extra support
National Parks Help maintain and preserve the great outdoors
Volunteer.gov America’s Natural and Cultural Resources Volunteer Portal
Major League Baseball Action Teams: Goups of high school students who plan volunteer events. They receive support from Major League baseball players & inspire others to volunteer.
College Ready 