Alright friends. I’m laying down a challenge. You know I’m a passionate reader and I’ve (thankfully) passed that love of books onto my kids. But I know it can be a struggle to foster that love of reading, even if you yourself are a bookworm. Some kids just don’t want to settle in with a book. But there is hope, and it starts with you!
Scholastic and I are challenging you to participate in the 20 for 20 Family Reading Challenge. Read with your kids as a family for 20 minutes per day for 20 days. That’s all it takes to develop a lifelong love of reading!
Let Them Choose
This is my son’s collection of books, a hot mess I might add, but he seems to know exactly where every title is. (Yes, this one is definitely mine.) The best thing to do to get your kids interested in reading is to let them pick out their own books! My daughter, 10 years old, is currently obsessed with Goosebumps books. They’re a little creepy if you ask me but she devours them, and if it keeps her reading, I’m all for it.
Reading As a Family
Scholastic sent me a great selection of books for a variety of ages and reading levels. My kids are 7 and 10, and while they each have different tastes to some degree, we’ve found we really enjoy reading together as a family and so I look for books that will pique interest from both of them.
When we were invited to participate in this 20 for 20 Family Reading Challenge it was actually great timing. The kids’ elementary school was doing a One School, One Book challenge where every family in the school had been given the same book to read on the same schedule. The book was School Days According to Humphrey and I’ll admit it took a few days to get into the routine of reading as a family each night (we usually read with the kids individually before bed), but after a week or so they kids were asking if we could read ahead!
So when we finished that book, my son actually said to me, “I kind of miss Humphrey.” Turns out what he really missed was that family time. So this challenge came at the perfect time for us!
Kids love to read with us for many reasons and there’s plenty of good that comes from it. Reading with your child can:
- Strengthen their bond with you
- Inspire them
- Influence their behaviors
- Affect their thoughts
What are we reading now?
Can you tell from me acting like a monster during reading time last night? haha! I get really into. We’ve started The BFG by Roald Dahl. That movie comes out in theaters July 1 and I always like to read the book before I see the movie. This one has really short chapters that leave you wanting more, so if you’re looking for a recommendation to start with, this one gets two thumbs up from us so far!
Join me!
I challenge you to join in with me, and commit to reading with your kids for 20 minutes per day for 20 days. I am willing to bet it’s going to be one of the BEST parts of your days. Click the image above or go here to print out your own 20 for 20 Family Reading Challenge Log to keep track of your progress. And if you find a great book your kids love to read together, let me know! We’re always looking for suggestions. I think there’s a slot or two left on my son’s bookshelf up there. 😉
Happy reading!
Share your family’s experience on social media with the #Read20 hashtag so we can see what books you’re enjoying together!
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