6 Ways to Celebrate National Reading Month
March is National Reading Month! It is a month dedicated to getting kids excited about and motivated to read. There are usually lots of activities lined up in school. However, I know home is where we build a solid foundation for a strong reading life!
Here is a list of 6 easy ways to celebrate National Reading Month in March! These will all also set up great habits around reading for the rest of the year, too!
1.Donate books to a local charity or shelter
As a family, work to clean out your book shelves and collect books you aren’t reading anymore. Donate them to an organization in your community, or perhaps donate to a cause outside of your neighborhood. You can do a search to found what organizations are in need of books, but here are some suggestions:
Local library
Local Little Free Library
School or community book drives
Community organizations and charities
Daycare centers and schools
I suggest making sure the books you are donating are readable and in good condition!
2. Read as a family
Read together as often as you can! Weekdays can be hard, but try to create and maintain a nightly ritual to read before bedtime. This is a great way to connect after a long day and help everyone relax before the lights go out. On the weekends, you can carve out some family reading time on the couch where everyone reads their own books.
It’s important for kids to see their parents read for fun (we all know how hard it can be to find time to do this). Set a timer for even 10 minutes! It may become a new family tradition that you all look forward to.
One rule: no one can judge another person’s reading choice!
3. Listen to audiobooks in the car
This is a fun way to build in more reading time! There are lots of short audiobooks for younger kids on Audible and Spotify. As children get older, you can all become invested in a chapter book series. Audiobooks are also great for long car trips!
4. Create a reading nook
Find a cozy spot in your home and make it EASY for your kids to go there and read. Think: pillows, blanket, basket of books, soft (but bright enough) lighting, a stuffed animal or two… Sounds dreamy to me!
5. Create an account on Bookroo
What is Bookroo? Think GoodReads for Kids! Use it to track reading, create collections, and wishlists.
I love GoodReads to track my reading and find new books that I love, and BookRoo is a great alternative for kids! You can create collections (Holiday, favorite series, whatever you dream up!) and track books that you’ve read. You can also set up a wishlist so you can stop constantly adding books to your Amazon cart (so guilty). Kids can also earn rewards and join various reading challenges. It is so fun and motivating.
6. Complete a reading challenge
Spice up your kids’ reading life with a fun reading challenge! Each day, complete a different activity and mark off each day as you go. See how many you all can complete. You can do this as a family, or each family member can complete their own challenge. It depends on how well your kiddos can handle any competition.
I’ve created a March Reading Challenge and invite you to download it here!
I would LOVE for you to share pictures of you and your family completing the various activities! Please send them to me at meghan@homebloomed.com OR tag me on Instagram @homebloom.ed.
Do you have any special reading traditions? Share them below!
