Tag: creative reading

How Reading More Can Make Kids Kinder

Posted on | by KD Novelties

Child reading educational books

Reading has been linked to many successes, and for the most part is often discussed in relation to a child’s academic success. Related reading skills, like writing and comprehension, can help kids better understand new ideas, abstract concepts, and retain information. When it comes to personal growth, reading can broaden a child’s mind, expose them to new perspectives, and give them insight to others’ experiences in a unique way.

Exposure

Reading can be an exploratory experience. Even if you’re sitting and reading a book in your own home, the words on the pages of the book can transport you anywhere in the world. For kids, being exposed to other cultures, ideas, and kinds of people can be incredibly beneficial for their developing minds. Learning about other parts of the world and the people that live there can be educational, but it can also be informative in a different way. People in different parts of the world may have different kinds of daily struggles, ways of life, and modes of thinking and speaking, and learning about these things can be important for people of all ages, especially children. Understanding different kinds of people opens doors to greater tolerance and understanding, and also helps kids understand that despite many things, different people can also be similar as well.

Empathy

Reading a book from someone else’s perspective, whether it be fiction or nonfiction, can help kids understand how other people feel and better understand others’ emotions. This can translate to interpersonal interactions easily, making it much more natural for kids to sympathize and empathize with others, understand where they may be coming from, or what they may be going through.

Emoting

Understanding emotions can also help kids become better at communicating their own thoughts and feelings, too. A better understanding of emotion, and the thought processes behind it, can help kids see themselves in others and have a better idea of how to handle delicate situations. Expressing oneself is just as important as understanding other people’s emotions, and when kids have a more thorough understanding of these things, it makes it easier for them to know how to comfort others and recognize situations in which they can help someone else.

Kindness often comes from a place of understanding and seeing situations for what they are, even if it is from a different perspective. The more kids understand about other people, cultures, and situations different from their own, the more tolerant, caring and compassionate they can be as they grow into fully fledged adults.

Activities to Improve Kids’ Writing Skills

Posted on | by KD Novelties

Reading skills are essential, but they go hand-in-hand with writing skills. Boosting one skill can help improve the other, plus writing can help better your child’s overall communication skills as well. There are several activities you can encourage your children to partake in that can help them improve their writing and reading skills.

Start Simple and Get Reading

Kids who read books and varied materials such as magazines and word games tend to be better at writing as well. Reading can help kids get a feel for how language works, as well as a deeper understanding of the English language by reading a variety of different material. Not only do kids develop writing skills through reading, but also kids can develop skills like empathy and understanding when they read about different characters, which can contribute directly to their ability to communicate well with others.

Encourage Them to Document Their Lives

Journaling is lauded as a highly therapeutic activity for people of all ages, but it also gives kids an easy topic to write about. Getting them into the habit of writing about their day can help them form a habit of keeping a journal, which has also proven to improve memory and can help kids better understand their own feelings and emotions. Plus, having a journal from when they were young can be a really special memento for them to have when they’re older.

Make It Fun!

Word games like riddles, crossword puzzles and word jumbles can be both brain bending as well as fun. These sorts of games can also help to improve problem solving skills, vocabulary, and spelling too.

Write Letters

Writing letters is a bit antiquated, but they are still very much appreciated. Skills that come along with letter writing can be helpful as your kids get older, too. Writing letters to grandparents and friends make for great gifts and sweet surprises when they arrive in the mail. The art of writing a proper letter can still come in handy when it comes time for your kids to learn how to write essays in high school and college as well as resumes and other documents as an adult.

Make Some Space

Like any activity, it helps to make it special by designating a certain spot to write in. Create a fun, customized/customizable writing space that can encourage your kids to get in the zone. Supply it with notebooks, pencils and other gear – and to make it feel less like school work you can splurge on the colored pens, markers, and other supplies that may not be allowed on their back-to-school list but can still have plenty of fun with at home.

Give Them Some Ideas

Even professional writers use writing prompts now and then. You can give your child some ideas for poems, short stories, or even journal entries by giving them words to use, using a picture for inspiration, or asking them specific questions.

Creative Ways To Get Your Kids Reading During the Summer

Posted on | by KD Novelties

Summer vacation should be full of fun and excitement, and for some kids, these concepts don’t always align with the idea of reading. For kids who already love to read, getting them to read over the summer can be a no brainer, and for certain children it may take no work at all. But for reluctant readers, it is important that parents make sure that reading remains a mainstay in their child’s lives. Studies have shown that children who do not read over the summer, especially when in elementary school and in early grades, may get knocked down a reading level or two. By reading consistently, kids can stay at the reading level that is appropriate for their grade and age. Here are some tips on getting kids excited about reading.

Focus on Adventure

Summer is often when families go out on vacation or take long trips. Vacations can be exciting and are often filled with new experiences, so take the spirit of vacation and books into the mix. Encourage kids to research the place your family is planning on visiting this summer. Even if you are unable to go on vacation, kids can explore other places, whether it is distant parts of the world, or fictional realms, all through the power of books. With this criteria in mind, scour the shelves of your local library or bookstore to see what you can find.

Motivation is Key

Children don’t just need to be reading books over the summer they need to be reading the right ones. One of the most important factors when it comes to any activity is the willingness to actually do it. Try not to push books on kids or pick out certain titles only because you think they’re interesting. Sure, providing some suggestions can certainly help, but it is important that kids want to read what they like, and making that choice on their own is one foolproof way to ensure that.

When it comes to making your own suggestions, keep your child’s interests in mind. Provide them with books on activities or subjects you already know they like. A love of learning is likely to inspire them to pick up books on other topics, too, but pushing overly educational books or books kids are simply not interested in can have the opposite effect than the one you’re going for.

Look Local

Whether you make a point of regularly visiting the local library with your child or have them tag along to the bookstore at the mall, making books easily accessible and within reach can help to pique their interests. Many libraries offer programs for kids during the summer months or after school that focus on reading but may also include activities like crafts and games that go hand-in-hand with the reading material.

Get Creative

If your child has other interests, whether it’s drawing, performing, or even talking a lot, you can incorporate these interests into the act of reading. Does your child like to doodle? Have them create illustrations for a book without any pictures. Is your child a movie star in the making? Encourage them to put on a play version of the last book they read for the family. Do they like to hear the sound of their own voice? See if they’ll record themselves reading a book aloud as if they are a radio announcer or an audiobook narrator. There are plenty of ways in which reading can be dynamic, especially if other activities are thrown into the mix.