A few weeks ago, I posted a challenge to myself and my readers who are parents. The challenge was to spend 20 minutes of quality time each day with your children. Twenty minutes in comparison to the whole day is tiny. Our children crave and need our attention. Which is why they are always watching what we do, more so than what we say. They are learning from us. They want to be with us.
What better way to spend time with them, than by reading and sharing with them. Teaching them. Sharing not only your time, but your voice. There are so many benefits to reading aloud to your children for 20 minutes each day, I cannot even begin to share the positives of doing so.
Why Read 20 Minutes a Day?
Studies show that the more children read, the better readers they become. In one study, children who read 20 or more minutes per day scored in or above the 90th percentile; those who read less than 10 minutes scored below the 75th percentile.*
But it’s not simply about reading more. Children who are actively engaged as they read—thinking about what they are reading versus looking passively at the words on the page—have been shown to regularly outperform children who are less engaged in what they are reading.
As a homeschooling mom, I spend the majority of my day reading, instructing, demonstrating, and teaching bits of information to my three boys… all.day.long. More often than not I repeat and read the same thing over and over again. Sometimes this talkative mama gets tired of talking and hearing herself talk. Sometimes my boys get tired of hearing their mama talk.
This is where the LeapFrog Tag reading system has come in handy. I was sent a tag reader and book to use and review. The boys have been enjoying learning about dinosaurs. They can learn at their own pace. Read the book by themselves. Have the book read to them. Learn neat insights about individual dinosaurs with a click of a pen. Neat.
I have been using this in my rotation during our homeschool day. So far it has been working. While one is working with me at the table, another is at the computer and the last child is reading with his tag reader. The only kicker is… I need to find more books for them to read. Check out this $3 off coupon I found that you can use on amazon.
The only negative thing I have to say about the LeapFrog tag reader is that I need to get two MORE! My two youngest boys have really enjoyed reading with the assistance of the tag reader. I need to find more age appropriate (school style) books to help them with their phonics and comprehension. Perhaps I will use that coupon I shared above to find those books.
Join the LeapFrog “Read 20 Minutes A Day” Pledge to Give Books To America’s Schools
In honor of Reading Month, LeapFrog is donating $2 million books to America’s schools. You can help too. Go to LeapFrog’s facebook page and share the “Read 20 Minutes a Day” pledge and LeapFrog will donate 5 books for every pledge!
Would you like to win your own Tag Leap Prize Pack? This prize pack will contain: Tag Leap and the Lost Dinosaur, Tag Get Ready for Kindergarten, Tag Junior Toddler Milestones, Tag Junior Animals Around the World. Approximate value of prize pack items is $50.
All you need to do is leave me a comment below sharing with me your favorite childhood book. Or for extra bonus points, you can always share with me how you are going to read with your child 20 minutes each day.
I was selected for this opportunity by Clever Girls Collective but content and opinions expressed here are my own. To take the LeapFrog Reading Month pledge, please visit their Facebook page. #LFReadingMonth #spon Giveaway ends 3/17. U.S. Only. Winner chosen by AndTheWinnerIs plug-in.
Lesley says
My favorite book is 1 fish 2 fish by Dr. Seuss. I think sometimes I enjoy certain books more than my son, I try to pick out the books I want to read to him! I cheat. 🙂
Linda B says
I love the Charlotte’s Web
Kris Strange says
My favorite childhood book was Where the Wild Things Are and I love reading to my son.
Virginia @thatbaldchick says
My favorite book as a kid was Dr Seuss If I lived in the Zoo.
Virginia @thatbaldchick says
I used to read to my kids every night, and somehow got out of the habit. I need to reading to them every day again!
Jenn Scott says
Goodnight Moon is my fav and now is my boys favorite too!! =)
Jenn Scott says
Bonus points: We’ve always fit 20 minutes of reading into our bedtime routine. It’s just part of what we do and now its a habit. =)
Cassandra Eastman says
I loved reading “Charlotte’s Web” as a child!
I’m going to read to my kids 20 minutes a day mainly before bedtime, my 3 year old doesn’t let me forget! We read occasionally in the afternoon’s as well!
Tabathia B says
My favorite book from childhood was Frog and Toad
tbarrettno1 at gmail dot com
Tabathia B says
bonus: I try to read before bedtime, but mainly it’s after bath for her and she has older sisters who love reading to her daily and from books that they download to their ereaders. We have several readers in my household
Melissa M says
My favorite book was Where the Wild Things Are
Kim C says
I loved reading “The Giving Tree”
xxkimhcxx at gmail dot com
Kim C says
Bonus Points: I read with my children before bedtime, a good night book makes for sweet dreams.
D SCHMIDT says
My favorite book as a child was Anne of Green Gables, I was entirely obsessed with it!
D SCHMIDT says
I created a reading area in my sons room and plan to sit with him everyday and read a story
HilLesha @To the Motherhood says
My son LOVES reading. 🙂