When I get a day all to myself, without any commitments it is not uncommon for me to spend much of it reading, my favorite pastime. Since I was a child, I have loved being transported by stories. Whether I was on an adventure with The Big Friendly Giant, counting cookies until The Doorbell Rang, hiding from humans with The Borrowers or saving the world with Harry Potter I was happy to go on a journey without leaving the comfort of my room.

Reading is a fantastic way to explore the world without filling your gas tank or buying a bus pass. What better way to learn about someone else’s view of the world then by stepping right into it? But reading is more than just an escape, it’s also an important and fundamental skill for children to learn. Making sure that children are reading on grade level by the end of third grade is very important because we know that reading plays a big part in school and life success. You can help support your child’s reading and literacy development by starting early with meaningful interactions with babies and toddlers , working to make reading fun, building skills every day to read and write and reading aloud every single day.  

Show your child that you value reading by reading to and with them and by letting them catch you reading too—books, magazines, cookbooks or even the news. Check out these tips for reading with children and get reading!

Kylie Rymanowicz, Extension Educator
Michigan State University Extension