Fun Reading Activities Your Family Can Do Together

There are few things more special than story time with the whole family. These four fun reading activities recommended by teachers are not only a great way to boost your child’s reading skills, but they’ll also instill a lifelong love for books!

1. Become Kindness Ninjas

Avery Lieske, a third-grade teacher in Alabama, has seen firsthand how excited her students get when they read books like The Cool Bean. 

“Through its eye-catching illustrations and witty humor, this book has a major theme that kindness is cool,” says Lieske. “You can use this book to brainstorm ways your child can spread kindness at home and in the community.”

After reading, Lieske recommends encouraging your child to transform into a “Kindness Ninja” and do random — and secret — acts of kindness. These kind acts will help your young reader connect to the world around them. 

“When children start making connections between the world and themselves, they start to have a deeper understanding of why characters respond the way they do, which in turn builds deeper comprehension skills,” says Lieske.

2. Toss Worries Away

If you’re looking to harness the power of social-emotional learning at home, there’s no better way than to explore a book. Ruby Finds a Worry is an ideal title to start with. 

“Through Ruby’s journey, we discover worry is a part of life, and a great way to make our worries smaller is through talking with someone we trust,” says Lieske. “This book provides the perfect starting point to discuss any worries they may have.”

After reading, encourage your child to draw or write about their worries on a sheet of paper. Then, while your child shares their worries, ask them to roll up the paper until it’s a tiny ball. 

“Once the paper is in a little ball and they have gotten all of their worries out, they can throw it away,” says Lieske. “Anytime they have a worry they can talk it out, write it out, and throw it away.”

3. Magical Word Jars

The Word Collector is ideal for deeply engaging your child and showing them just how magical words can be.

“This book gives you and your child the opportunity to discuss shades of meaning, synonyms, antonyms, and how to speak and write with more detail and flair,” says Josh Blackburn, a second-grade teacher in Tennessee.

After reading, Blackburn suggests helping your child create their own word jar or word journal and asking them to record any new words they discover while reading independently or with you. “Then take a moment to look up the meaning of that word with your child and help them use it in their own writing,” he says.

4. Insect Adventure

It’s probably no secret that your child has a soft spot in their heart for Fly Guy and his BFF Buzz. Blackburn suggests embarking on an adventure with these friends to learn about the world of insects with Fly Guy Presents: Insects! 

“As you read this book with your child, discuss the difference between photographs and illustrations in books and how to tell the difference between the two when reading a book,” says Blackburn. 

“For an added adventure, take your child outside and go on an insect hunt! If you find an insect you cannot identify, there are a variety of insect identifying apps for your smartphone that will keep you and your child learning more about the insects in your environment,” he adds.