INSTAGRAM GIVEAWAY: two $100 GYMboree gift cards
After a year of kindergarten, Mazzy is on the cusp of learning how to read, but hasn’t quite gotten there yet. I’ve seen her read a few words if she REALLY concentrates, but at this moment, she finds it frustrating and unfortunately, does not like trying too much.
That’s fine. I don’t want to push her if she isn’t ready. I don’t think I was able to read until first grade either. But I also don’t want her to forget everything she’s learned, just because school is out for the summer.
In the interest of preparing Mazzy for back-to-school, I’m trying to reinforce reading time. Not just at bedtime, but during the day.
Living in the city, we don’t think to bring books with us to the park, but now that we spend so much time hanging out in our backyard, with access to their favorite books just a few steps away, I’m hoping reading in our sun porch or having story time outside on the lawn will be a fun relaxing activity that will help kickstart her interest.
To entice the kids even further, I took Mazzy, Harlow, Gavin and Luke (their companions at seemingly all times) on a trip to the library to select some summer reading material.
Unfortunately, the library was closed (I should really check these things!) but since I didn’t want to thwart a learning opportunity I had gotten the kids excited about, I decided to buy each one of them their own book at a nearby bookstore. Which was open, THANK GOD.
The kids all wore their new clothes from Gymboree’s back-to-school line, which perfectly bridges the fun of playing outdoors with the comfort you need to sit all day in a classroom.
The boys wore bold kelly green, preppy plaids and fun graphic tees with lots of pockets in their cargo shorts, perfect for storing school lunch money or found treasures while exploring the outdoors.
Mazzy was particularly excited about her geo print dress with the coral pink bow.
I thanked my lucky stars Harlow’s dress had a pink bow too, otherwise we might not have made it out of the house without fashioning one from scratch.
I directed Mazzy to the books for first level readers, even though she was way more enamored with a multi-colored sketch pad.
“We’re here to get reading books, Mazzy. Not drawing books.”
“Awwwwwwww……”
In case you read that wrong, Mazzy’s “awwww” did not mean “That’s so cute!” More like “NO FAIR!”
Finally, I turned her on to some easy reader Pinkalicious and Fancy Nancy books, because she’s nothing if not predictable. I only discovered later she chose one of them because it involved stickers.
Harlow picked a huge hardcover Disney storybook with about fifty full-color glossy pages because she is one smart cookie who knows how to shop. Gavin picked a book about Wookies. And Luke picked a book about a dog named Spot.
I added a couple of my own choices, like This is Sadie, because I wanted a few bed time books to read to the girls that didn’t involve characters they see on television.
My plan was to take the kids back to the house and lie picnic blankets on the ground for everyone to relax with a book, but the kids had other plans that involved our new swing set.
They set up shop in the little treehouse and spent a good long while pouring over their books together. Whether or not anyone was actually trying to read them, I have no idea.
Later on, after the boys left, I read with Mazzy and Harlow on the glider couch in the sun porch.
We had just cleared out and cleaned all the furniture in the sun porch that morning and this was our first time using the space since last year.
On a nice night, as the sun goes down, the enclosed porch is my favorite place for bedtime stories.
Even Disney ones.
Today, I’m giving away two $100 Gymboree gift cards over on Instagram! Enter here.
SPEcial Offer:
If you use the code MOMMY25, you’ll get $25 off purchases of $100 or more, VALID 7/16 through 7/23. SHOP HERE.
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WINNER UPDATE:
And the winners are…
@hadams and @emmalou.smith – congrats! Please email abby@mommyshorts.com to claim your prize.
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This post is sponsored by Gymboree, who is teaming up with DonorsChoose.org to bring coloring supplies to students nationwide just in time for the back-to-school season. Visit gymboree.com/
Photos by Reyna Sara Photography.
All kids are different, my 5yr old is reading at 3rd grade level but my 3yr old is still working on her sight words.
My kids are readers. My daughter loved the Pinkalicious series! They are older now and read every night before they go to bed as a way to wind down from the day. Now it is Percy Jackson or Harry Potter. I miss the Pinkalicious days. I also miss Skippyjon Jones. I love that chihuahua, er…cat. I highly recommend picking up one of those books for your kids (if you don’t have any yet).
I have 3 kids (14 -eek!!!-, 8, and 6) and each picked up reading differently. The oldest was a reader at 3, midkid picked it up very easily and was reading by 4, but the youngest struggled/struggles. (Setting aside a parent’s ego is crucial here, not allowing our own personal frustrations to show). Right now she is really into Mo Willems’ ‘Elephant and Piggie’ books (I cannot recommend Mo Willems enough, he’s a must read), anything Dr. Seuss (low threat), and anything funny. Midkid loves Ramona and anything Roald Dahl, and the -gulp- teenager reads just about anything he can get his hands on, but especially loves contemporary YA authors.
We also have this “rule” which encourages (ransoms) electronic time: for every minute read (or engaged in a learning activity) you earn a minute of electronics time.
Good luck and happy reading!
BOB books, available on Amazon, worked very well for my daughter.
We read them with the pictures and then I transcribed the book to our iPad once she had it down and she had to sight read them going forward.
What kept her engaged was doing it every night followed by a short cartoon (Looney Tunes, Yogi Bear, etc) right before bed.
I hope you make it back to the library! They likely have a summer reading program designed to thwart that same loss of skills you are concerned about. At my library, the kids count the time they spend reading each day. If they can read for at least an hour a week they can come in and select a small prize from a big treasure chest! Sure there is more plastic crap around your house in the end, but it is a pretty good motivator. Happy reading!
Have you tried the “Princess in Black” by Shannon and Dean Hale? It’s about a princess who appears perfect and proper but is really a monster-fighting and adventure seeking princess. It’s great as a read – aloud or for beginning readers and it has lots of great illustrations.
I also just started a little children’s literature review blog and I wrote a post at the beginning of summer focusing on ideas to keep kids interested in reading during the summer months. Here’s the link: http://ofjohnandrandolph.blogspot.com/2015/06/summer-reading-ideas.html.
Good luck and happy reading!
My daughter is going into kindergarten this year but also on the cusp of reading. Our library has a great summer program where they earn tickets for the number of books they read and then they can choose prizes. Definitely go back to the library!
I just wanted the echo the “Don’t sweat it, every kid is different” message. 🙂 My girls are 6 years apart – so the older one had undivided parental attention for 6 years, then me off on a year long mat leave (yay Canada). We read to her EVERY night for years! My youngest child, started off a part of the nightly reading routine – but when my oldest became involved in more and more evening activities, and time became hectic, the routine disappeared and we rarely read at bedtime anymore. So what happened? My eldest was totally low-end to average at reading whereas my youngest who is not turning six until end of July is reading chapter books!
I am obviously (I hope!) not bragging about my youngest as that would then mean I am doing the opposite about my eldest! My point is – reading is a code. It’s a code you have to crack and at some point, unless there is an actual developmental delay, all kids will crack the code. I was surprised my older child wasn’t quicker at reading, only because a love of books runs in my family. But she did love being read to, she had a fantastic vocabulary, and like potty training – though it was a delayed skill, once it kicked in, it happened overnight and once it’s learned, it’s learned. She slowly progressed until suddenly she discovered books she actually enjoyed reading and the world of being immersed in a book – and the suddenly was reading huge chapter books. My younger one is a bit of an enigma, but maybe was partially due to being a bit of an introvert so loves the imaginary world of books, and maybe partially due to neglect parenting – we weren’t reading to her nearly as much as her sisters, so she had to figure it out on her own 😉 (joking – kind of – we obviously don’t neglect her, reading just took a backseat, but hey it all worked out in the wash so am not sweating it).
I think you are on perfect track for keeping reading a fun skill to learn that isn’t shoved down their throat or made un-fun, and well balanced with all the other fun things of summer.
PS am super envious of your summer home, you have created such an ideal, fun, inspirational space!! Your use of colours and keeping it kid-friendly but still appealing to adults is to die for !!
Reading is just a code that they need to learn to crack, but once they learn the skill, they never go back 🙂 My older child, we used to read to her All the Time, we had a set bedtime routine from her being a baby until around age 8 that involved at least 2-3 books each night. There is a 6 year age gap, so my younger one had bedtime books for about 2 years, then as her sister was involved in more and more evening activities, life got in the way and the bedtime routine fell on the wayside. But interestingly enough, my older one took a LOT longer to figure out reading and progress to chapter books – whereas my youngest who will be 6 at the end of July declared in June that since she will be in Grade 1 in Sept she only reads Chapter books now and cleaned out all others (and I mean real Chapter books, not grade 1 books posing as chapter books). Why the discrepancy? Who knows? Maybe because the younger one is more introverted so enjoys the imaginary world of books more,maybe because she wants to copy her sister, maybe because she is a quicker code-breaker, maybe because we had less time to read to her so she had to read more to herself … or maybe all or none of those. But either way, my point is my older one was average, not lagging seriously behind, so with both of them I figured like with all developmental skills, reading is a skill – they’ll figure it out. And sure enough, with exposure to books and large vocabularies, they both did. 🙂 So I think you are doing the perfect thing, exposing them to new books, reading to them as they would like, letting them read a lone and keeping reading fun. 🙂
My husband and I both love LOVE LOVE to read – like we have a library in our house. I started very young, he didn’t like reading until his teens. We have one boy, 20 months, and another boy on the way. Our son does enjoy LOOKING at books 😉 and his Daddy bought a pack of foam letters and baths him in alphabet soup every night to learn them – when he isn’t playing the trumpet to serenade bath time lol! But ultimately, we both know that what will instill a curiosity learn and discover the world of reading will be seeing Mama and Daddy reading. <3
Have you read The Read Aloud Handbook by Jim Trelease? It was a great book to give me ideas of what to read to my kids. They can listen to books far beyond what they can read themselves and it helps them to develop their vocabulary and reading comprehension which helps them learn to read easier. We’ve also used the How to Teach your Child to Read in 100 Easy Lessons for my 4 year old. He’s reading books now and sounding out words EVERYWHERE! It’s good for kids who are ages 3 and up and could be a good review for you and Mazzy. Plus, the lessons take only 15-20 minutes. Try reading Charlotte’s Web to both Mazzy and Harlow (or some other book you like like that). We’re doing Stuart Little right now and already did Alice in Wonderland and Through the Looking Glass (the Helen Oxenbury ones for the pictures). Then we rented the movie and had planned a tea party to go with. We’re going to do Charlotte’s Web next and the movie and a trip to a farm.
My parents heavily encouraged reading and I started reading chapter books when I was 5. Everyone goes at their own pace but sometimes pushing is the way to go (at least in my case). I grew up loooving to read and still do!
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My eldest (14) had no interest in learning how to read. At age 7, she eventually started loving fantasy books called “Robot Princess” which is about a robot princess who pretends to be a normal girl in elementary school. This blossomed into trying harder to read and finally learned how.
My middle one (10) was a reader from the start. At 1 year old, she started with pop ups. She offically started reading at 3 years old. She is in seventh grade now. (Mama’s Little Prodigy)
My youngest (7 and a half) is still learning how to read. She insists on reading “Green Eggs and Ham” and will not attempt to read anything else. She’s being tested for dyslexia though.
Learning how to read is an important skill, but it means my babies are growing up. “Sniff”
Great that Mazzy, Harlow, Gavin, and Luke all have books. Aplhia (my middle daughter’s pen pal) is living in Syria and doesn’t have access to books.
When I was little, my parents had a rule during summer. Do your chores. then read a book for fiteen minutes before free time. I LOVED reading and did it during “free time”
I was an early talker too. At 14 months, I was saying “momma” and “bye-bye”
I was reading at 2 years old. (Early, I know) I work as a children’s librarian now.
Speaking of kids, I have two of my own.
My son (3) is spending his “quiet time” in the playroom lately. Not playing with toys though. He’s attemping to read “Green Eggs and Ham” and is doing well. His preschool teacher encourages reading which makes him happy. He gets really exicted when he can read a page of “Green Eggs and Ham”
“MISS MELODY, I CAN READ THIS PAGE!”
My other one can’t read yet. Unless she’s really really smart, that’s not going to happen. She’s two months old.
My other