Recently I spent time with my grandson who is in kindergarten
. When I asked him what his favorite subject is, he responded with reading! Oh how happy this grandma was to hear those words! Being an avid reader myself, I understand the importance of reading and the love of curling up with a good book.
Why is reading important to our youngest 4-H members? Being able to read and comprehend is the cornerstone of any child’s education. Reading introduces educational foundation skills, increases vocabulary, and instills a love of books and reading in children at a young age. Children who read are better able to make the connection between written and spoken words, not to mention the fact that reading is fun!
Reading just one book per day to a child from birth to kindergarten will result in them hearing almost 300,000 words by the time they start school. Children will also bond with that caring adult who takes the time to read out loud.
The cool thing about books is that they can be used to begin conversations with children about sometimes difficult or challenging subjects. Reading provides an opportunity for children to safely explore strong emotions.
Cloverbud volunteers can reinforce the love of reading by incorporating a Reading Adventure (or two!) into their annual Cloverbud activities. Reading Adventures take popular children’s books and pair them with ideas for healthy snacks, games, and activities. Reading Adventures are designed to be stand-alone lessons that can enhance your already dynamic Cloverbud program; or, they can be used with different chapters found in the Big Book of Cloverbud Activities. Each Reading Adventure identifies which chapter of the Big Book can be used with that particular adventure.
Most books featured in the adventures are popular books which you may already have on your bookshelf. If not, these titles should be readily available from your public library or from an online library source.
Check out the Reading Adventures included in this blog. Check back often as new titles are added as they become available. Have an idea for a book that would make a great Reading Adventure? Send your book recommendation to williams.418@osu.edu.
Reading a book can take us places when we need to stay where we are. And, a child who reads will be an adult who thinks.