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The phrase back-to-school may bring to mind time spent shopping for school supplies and labeling lunches, but making sure your child is ready to return to the classroom goes beyond the extra hand wipes and healthy snacks. Helping your kiddo get ready for back-to-school means also ensuring that they feel confident in their own abilities, especially reading books, in group environments.

Here are 5 perks about our monthly book club, or book subscription box, to help your early reader get ready for back-to-school.

1. Build classroom confidence

Reading is a part of every subject and every class. If your child struggles with reading, it may affect their classroom confidence. As your child reads through more books on their own, or together with you, they will naturally improve early literary skills, like fluency and vocabulary. Reading skills can support their comfortability speaking in front of a class, as well as translate to better grades in various subjects, like English, math, and science. 

2. Get excited about reading time

Reading can be seen as a burdensome chore instead of a fun activity for kids, which is why they might dread it. The increase in homework as your child moves through elementary school can make reading time even worse! To spark the joy of reading, show your child the fun side of reading time by introducing books that are purely for personal enjoyment. With our subscription book box, there are no assignments or grades to add any pressure to reading time. 

3. Foster meaningful friendships

At any age, peer relationships and friendships can sometimes be tough. Toddlers and youngsters especially are still learning all of the rules and nuances that guide our social interactions. By reading I Can Read! books together at home, your child will have stories about new people, places, and things they can share with their peers, as well as learn a thing or two about the meaning of friendship. Early readers may even want to recommend a favorite book to a friend or recreate an exciting story time adventure.

4. Develop areas of interest

There’s a big world out there to explore, and early reading helps kids open their minds and hearts. Even if you can’t drive to the beach to see the ocean waves or talk to someone who lived in colonial times, kids can go anywhere in their imagination. When a child learns how to read, they can be anywhere, be anything, at any time. New ideas and interests are just a page-turn and adventure away. Reading books, starting at a young age, is the best springboard to dive deeper into areas of interest and pursue lifelong hobbies. 

5. Spark imagination and big ideas

One of the wonders of childhood is that nothing is outside of the realm of possibility. Reading is an excellent way to foster your child’s ability to think big and get creative. I Can Read! leveled books share a treasure trove of relatable subject matter, like school, bravery, and triumph, that teach kids that they can overcome anything. All it takes is a little courage to get ready for back-to-school and start each new grade with confidence. The more characters and stories you share with your child, at any age, the more options they have for their own creative play!

There’s a lot of buzz about the importance of daily reading starting in early childhood, and we couldn’t agree more. Reading for at least 20 minutes a day has countless benefits for skill development. Whether your child is just starting preschool or on their way to elementary school, it’s never too late to create a reading ritual at home.

Here are 8 ways to breathe new life into your child’s reading routine and inspire healthy reading habits in the process.

1. Create a reading nook

Do you have a favorite place to read? Maybe your child likes to read in bed under the covers or outside in the backyard. Switch things up and try something new, like building a play fort, setting up a hammock, or creating a cozy corner filled with pillows and their beloved stuffed animals. For endless inspiration, try checking out the hashtag #readingnook on Instagram. 

2. Switch up reading times

A lot can be said for reading habits, but don’t feel as though you have to stick to the same reading time every day. See if you can squeeze in a story when your child wakes up in the morning, before nap time, or after school. If you’re feeling pinched for time, try having them read to you while you prepare a meal, or putting on an eBook to listen to together. 

3. Talk about books together

Talking about books at home can be just as important as actually reading them! Think about ways to bring up a subject or character from an I Can Read! book while the whole family is together. This way, reading is incorporated into daily conversations that go beyond your designated reading routine.  

4. Go on a book-themed outing

Think outside the book and plan a day trip or weekend activity based on a story your little one loves. For example, read Play Ball, Amelia Bedelia and take a trip to a local baseball game, or, read a book about Baby Shark and plan a beach day or waterpark adventure. (No matter what you plan, you can take the credit!)

5. Get cooking! 

Many popular children’s books and some of our favorite I Can Read! books involve delicious food. For example,  Fancy Nancy loves throwing tea parties and Pete the Cat loves taking trips to the supermarket. To switch things up in your early reader’s world, try baking cookies, making finger sandwiches, or going grocery shopping together. You could even find a story that features a character in another country and research local foods to try at home.

6. Create a kids book club

Choosing kids activities can be daunting with options that are seemingly endless. Why not try an activity related to reading? Gather a small group of bookish friends and suggest a book, or series, about an I Can Read! character. Kiddos can choose their favorite scene from the book(s) and meet to discuss and play. Hint hint: we introduce kids to new character friends each month!

7. Attend a story time event

Local libraries and bookstores can be a great resource to help develop your child’s reading routine. Many of them even have free story hours on a weekly basis! Take a trip with your kiddo and go somewhere in the area that suits you, whether it’s after school or over the weekend.

8. Keep a book on hand

Entertaining kids during downtime can be tricky. Pack a book with you to have on hand wherever you go (we make it easy with portable paperbacks)! It’s those unexpected small moments, like waiting at the doctor’s office or for a sibling to finish a swim lesson, that sometime make the best story times.