Read Across America Week

HAPPY NATIONAL READING MONTH!!!

To kick off NEA’s Read Across America and National Reading Month, we’re happy to celebrate Dr. Seuss birthday March 2 and the entire month of March. NEA or National Education Association Read Across America is an annual reading awareness program created to celebrate and foster a love of reading. Studies show that early reading leads to success in school performance and positive mental health as well.

HERE’S SOME OTHER GREAT BENEFITS TO READING:

• Much of a child’s learning capacity is established under 3 years old
• Under 3 years old, a child’s brain grows up to 90% of their eventual adult size
• Reading just 15-30 minutes aloud each day to your child starting at birth enhances a child’s learning capacity, language skills, and later reading success

• Reading aloud to your child is the single most important thing you can do to help children prepare for learning and reading

• Studies show that parents who emphasize reading as entertainment and for enjoyment develop their children’s love for reading and positive attitude towards reading later in life

• Sadly, studies show that the amount of television a child watches in one day is equivalent to the amount they read for fun in one week

• Even if your children are already reading, reading aloud to your child or listening to audio books on road trips can benefit their auditory learning skills as well as be a great bonding opportunity for your family

CHECK OUT THESE GREAT WAYS TO CELEBRATE READING AROUND TOWN:

1. 
   Big Kid Book Club- If you have a child between 3 and 5 years old not yet enrolled in kindergarten, in just a few minutes you can enroll your kiddo online to receive a free book from the Deer Valley Unified School District in the mail every month. Go to this link and sign up:

https://www.dvusd.org/bookclub

2. Bravo Peoria!! Saturday, March 11, 2023 from 9am to 1pm at the Sunrise Mountain Library there is an annual free family event with food trucks, games, inflatables, a book sale, pirates, and much more. Go to the following link for more information:

https://peoria.polarislibrary.com/polaris/custom/youth_programs.aspx

3. Check out this great reading list from the Phoenix Public Library. Go to their website for more great ideas!!

https://www.phoenixpubliclibrary.org/browse/staff-picks/kids

Graded Lists

Preschool

Share books with your child everyday. Repetition is important, so find some books that you both enjoy. Here are some great titles for preschoolers.

Kindergarten

By kindergarten, children should understand that print has meaning, be familiar with the alphabet and the sounds that letters make. The more you read to them, the more motivated they will be to learn to read. Keep it fun; reading should never be a chore!

1st Grade

Every child progresses at his or her own rate when learning to read. This list includes picture books meant for grown ups to read aloud, as well as a few "beginning readers." When picking books for your child to read, keep in mind the "five finger" test – have your child read a page aloud, if he misses more than five words on a page, the book may be too challenging. Keep it fun, don't let your child get frustrated.

2nd Grade

These are suggested books for a 2nd grader, but each child develops at a different rate. Don't be alarmed if your child struggles with a book on this list. What's important is to make reading a daily habit.

3rd Grade

By 3rd grade, children are reading independently. Take your child to the library regularly to select new titles.

4th Grade

By 4th grade, children are reading to learn about the world. They can handle longer, more complex chapter books.

5th Grade

Reading levels, whether measured by Lexile Level, Accelerated Reading, or another measure, will vary widely. In general, children this age are reading complex books over 100 pages. At this age, kids have many other activities that distract from reading, so it's very important for families to set aside time for independent reading every day.

6th Grade

You are still the most important influence in your child's life, so model good reading habits. Here are suggested books for 6th graders.

4. PAWS 2 Read is a wonderful program through the Peoria Main Library and the Sunrise Mountain Library where your child can read aloud to a therapy dog to help improve reading skills. For more information go to
   https://peoria.polarislibrary.com/polaris/custom/youth_programs.aspx

5. Check out the link and list below to find some great activities to get your child starting to read!

https://www.leapfrog.com/en-us/learning-path/articles/march-is-national-reading-month-even-if-you-dont-readyet/
Activities to foster important early skills

Knowing letters and sounds

• Sing the Alphabet Song.The number of versions on iTunes alone is testament to its enduring appeal. Have fun singing this familiar tune with different tempos or silly voices (monster voice, tiny mouse voice, robot voice).
• Hunt for environmental print.Start a game of I-Spy and have your child search for letters prominently displayed on signs, posters, billboards, even cereal boxes.
• Play with alphabet letters.Pull out the magnets, blocks, puzzles, whatever you have, and name the letters, eventually having your child identify the letter names on his own. It’s usually best to introduce letters in alphabetical order, or start with the letters in your child’s name. Upper case letters can be easier to tell apart, so they are often introduced first. At the same time, the lower case letters show up more in print, so there are good reasons to include both. Also, help your child match the letters with the sounds they make, along with a familiar word that contains the letter sound.
• Explore the Starfall The ABCs section contains activities designed to help your child learn letter names and sounds.

Playing with the sounds of language

• Introduce nursery rhymes and sing-along games.Recite nursery rhymes, play the name game (Mason, Mason, bo bason, bananfana…), check out children’s sing-along CDs at the local library, and spark your child’s delight in the sounds of language.
• Enjoy rhyming books.Read aloud and pause at opportune spots, encouraging your child to join in on the rhyming portions of text.
• Go on a treasure hunt.Help your child search for items in your home that rhyme, or start with the same sound.
• Tune your child’s ears to the rhythm of music.Clap or dance to the beat, or tweak lyrics by substituting new rhyming words, even silly ones. Music provides plenty of natural opportunities for children to appreciate and manipulate the sounds of language.

Remembering what you hear

• Read it again…and again. When your child asks for repeated readings of the same book, rejoice! While you may tire of the storyline, your child is gradually memorizing the text and enhancing her listening comprehension. Eventually, you can encourage your child to “read” the story to you, using what she’s memorized to retell the tale. You can also have your child retell the story using puppets, or by simply acting it out. Books with predictable, repetitive storylines are a good place to start. 
• Read and discuss. While younger children benefit from fewer interruptions during reading in order to maintain attention, occasionally ask your child questions about the story and illustrations. Sometimes, repeat your child’s response. Other times, expand on what he has said, or make your own responses. This provides your child with a model of how to talk about books and enhances his ability to remember what he’s heard.
• Make up listening games. Implement a version of Simon Says, with one, then two, then three or more verbal instructions to follow (Simon Says, touch your nose; Simon says touch your nose, then jump. Simon Says touch your nose, then jump, then turn around).

Quickly naming letters, numbers, objects, and colors

• Play beat-the-clock. Open a book or magazine and have your child point to, and name, as many letters, numbers, objects, or colors as she can in 30 seconds. 
• Put a new twist on Slap Jack. As with the original version of the game, a deck of cards is divided equally between two players, with the stacks face down. One at a time, each player places the top card of her pile face up in the center of the table, but in this version of the game, the first player to name the number on the top card wins the pile and adds these cards to his own pile. If both players name the number at the same time, neither player gets the pile, and the game continues. Play continues until a player has won all of the cards. Other versions can be played with cards from games such as Memory or Old Maid.

Writing letters, writing your name

• Paint with water. Grab a bowl of water and a couple of paint brushes or sponges and “paint” letters on the sidewalk or on a wooden fence.
• Scribble in the sand. Use fingers or small sticks to draw letters in the sand.

With the assurance that even the youngest children are on the road to reading, here’s to embracing March as National Get-Ready-to-Read Month and building on these important foundational skills well beyond March 31st

HOPE YOU ENJOY ALL THE READING INFORMATION.

HAPPY READING FROM YOUR GREAT DESTINATIONS PEDIATRICS FAMILY

Updated 2/26/2023 by Dr. Karen Prentice