By Paula Huddy, Librarian at Blake School, Wayzata, MN

Is it possible to teach a child to enjoy books and reading in our days of TV, computers, Internet and video games? I think it is, and I know many families that have successfully done it. Obviously, the best way to go is to start early, when your children are young, and then keep doing it, making reading together one of your family traditions.

When they are small with a short attention span, let them point at the pictures. Start by reading to your children, and then gradually switch to reading with them as they learn their letters. If you choose good, interesting books, they will keep asking you to read more, and as soon as they realize that they can do it themselves – boom! You’ve got yourself a little booklover.

But what if you didn’t start early, and now your kids prefer watching TV or playing computer games? You will need to be more creative, persistent and committed. The entertainment industry competes for their attention. But hope is not lost. Children need and want a closer relationship with their parents; the TV set will never replace you. Family reading can be one of the most exciting and heart-warming experiences you and your children will have together.

Book Covers from the award winning Bur Bur and Friend’s children’s book series: Bur Bur and Friends is a cast of multicultural characters who educate kids about sports, outdoor exploration and active play though their experiences.

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This entry was posted on Thursday, April 2nd, 2009 at 4:24 pm and is filed under Community Board. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.