Car wash lines and books… Who knew???

I was stuck at a car wash today. The sun has re-appeared in our corner of the world and I discovered I could not see out of any of my windows so it was time. Stuck is probably the wrong word because a nice little moment happened. Realizing I was not alone (my four year old was with me) I reached for her preschool folder to help keep us occupied. Inside were two books that she was reading in class and she asked to read them to me. Suddenly I was no longer in a car wash line, but blissfully listening to my proud little four year old take over. The stage was hers. She couldn’t wait to read to me. She didn’t stop at just the two books. She then showed me what she did on her worksheet packet where they were graphing candy hearts and the heart maze she completed on another worksheet. Wow! Who was this forthcoming four-year-old??

This made me realize the many distractions at home that prevent this from happening (with the exception of bedtime when she is only attempting to put off the inevitable). This is my preschooler who can hardly seem to recall what they had for snack each day, much less tell me about what they read today in class. Taking the basic skill of reading and re-packaging it does wonders in showing what your young one can do. Our new ‘package’ was being inside a car, waiting in line.

When my daughters send a Be There Bedtime Story to an aunt, uncle, grandparent or buddy down the street they get to practice their reading in a slightly un-conventional way. It allows them to show what they know using a different medium rather than conventional books (not that there is anything wrong with conventional books!). Reading a story online using a webcam just ‘repackages’ one of the most entertaining past-times we have and gives it a fresh new spin.

I also learned that I really do need to keep my car cleaner. I can’t wait to go back to the car wash. I hope there is a line…

Your only investment is time…

Are you looking for ways to encourage your young child to read? Would you like to instill in your toddler a love of books? With your help, toddlers and preschoolers can get a head start on the road to reading, even if they cannot yet read themselves. Here are a few suggestions help get you started from : – www.essortment.com

· First, and foremost, read aloud to your child, no matter how young. Infants love to hear their parent’s voice. Reading to your child not only provides a valuable learning experience, but it can become a treasured family activity.  Be There Bedtime Stories adds an entirely new dimension to reading aloud. After recording a story for a loved one, they will have it to look at for years to come.

· Be a role model. Parents can set a good example by showing that they enjoy and benefit from reading at home.

· Make regular visits to your local library, and be sure to elicit the help of the children’s librarian. There are a number of library resources available to help you choose books, such as reading lists and lists of award-winning books.

The rewards you will reap are priceless.

Environmental Print for preschool children

Environmental Print is one of the first types of reading your toddler/pre-schooler can do. Encourage them to identify the signs of common stores you frequent. Some more commonly identified signs may be Target, McDonalds, Home Depot, or even the Be There Bedtime Stories email they receive regularly etc… . You may have already seen your child exhibit this early reading. Encourage your child to call out the name of the store as they see the signs driving by. This naturally opens the door to asking your child what letter the store’s name starts with and then what sound that letter makes. This is empowering and exciting for your young reader!