Learning and Teaching

Book Week is a fantastic opportunity to engage kids with reading at home! Here are some ideas tailored for different age groups:

For Toddlers and Preschoolers

1. Interactive Storytime: Choose books with lift-the-flap features, textures, or sounds. For example, Dear Zoo by Rod Campbell or The Very Hungry Caterpillar by Eric Carle.
2. Themed Dress-Up: Dress up as characters from their favorite books while reading. For example, wear a red cape and read Little Red Riding Hood.
3. Storytelling with Puppets: Use hand puppets or stuffed animals to act out the story as you read. Books like Brown Bear, Brown Bear, What Do You See? by Bill Martin Jr. are great for this.

For Early Readers (Ages 5-8)

1. Book-Themed Crafts: After reading, do a craft related to the story. For instance, after reading The Gruffalo by Julia Donaldson, make a Gruffalo mask.
2. Reading Treasure Hunt: Create a treasure hunt where each clue is a line from a book they’ve read. They’ll need to read and understand the clues to find the treasure.
3. Story Writing and Illustrating: Encourage them to write a short story inspired by the book they read, and illustrate it. Books like Where the Wild Things Are by Maurice Sendak can be great inspiration.

For Tweens (Ages 9-12)

1. Book Discussions: Read the same book as your child and discuss it. Books like Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone by J.K. Rowling or Percy Jackson and the Olympians by Rick Riordan work well.
2. DIY Bookmarks: After reading, make personalized bookmarks based on their favorite characters or scenes from the book.
3. Reading Bingo: Create a bingo card with different reading challenges, such as “Read a book with a female protagonist” or “Read under a tree.” This adds a fun twist to their reading routine.

For Teens

1. Book-to-Movie Comparison: Read a book and then watch its movie adaptation. Compare the two and discuss what was different or why certain changes were made. Books like The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins are great for this.
2. Create a Book Soundtrack: After reading, create a playlist of songs that match the mood or events of the book. For example, The Fault in Our Stars by John Green can inspire some thoughtful music choices.
3. Book Club: Start a family or friends book club where everyone reads the same book and discusses it. Consider books like To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee or The Book Thief by Markus Zusak.

These activities not only make reading fun but also help deepen understanding and foster a lifelong love of books!

Laura Leung

Learning and Teaching