I’m so grateful my children love to read! That was one of my goals in homeschooling my children during their early years…to instill a love for reading. Summer is the time when we have such fun, going from library to library, and devouring the books that are there. It’s always a really quiet ride home when we go to the library, because noses are already enjoying the books they’ve picked out.
To encourage reading during the summer (when children don’t HAVE to read), our public library sponsors a Summer Reading Program. Previously a four-week event, this summer it’s six weeks long, with special guests coming in on Wednesday afternoons. Yesterday’s guest was from the Tennessee Aquarium in Chattanooga. Funny…my four-year-old niece was really hoping they would bring sharks to display! Sorry, Natalie! But we did get to see snakes, turtles, and a lizard.
Another exciting thing about reading in the summer is that major bookstore chains roll out promos to encourage reading. One such promo, called “Double Dog Dare” is from Borders. When children ages 12 or under, read ten books, they’ll receive one of these books free! I’m excited because I have two children in that category! Since we live in a little tiny town with one blinking stoplight, we don’t have a Borders anywhere near us. But I’ve printed the forms anyway so we can have them in the van. Sometimes Daddy has to make a hospital visit in Nashville. If we can tag along, maybe we can turn in our forms for a free book! Forms must be turned in by August 26, 2010. Print your form here to take to Borders.
Barnes and Noble has a similar reading program this summer! Children in grades 1-6 are eligible to participate. Simply download the passport, fill out the eight books your child has read, and turn it in for your choice of one of over 25 different books FREE! You’ll also need to write down the places your child visits in the books he or she read, to fit the passport idea. The program ends on September 7, 2010. Parents can download a free activity kit to enhance your child’s reading experience by going here. For more details on this reading program, go here.
If you know of any other reading promotions going on with major retailers, please leave a comment to let my readers know.
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