Storytime is a part of our bedtime routine. My daughter has a big basket of books. Every night she tries to pick about 10 to read. Sometimes, we don’t have time to read that many. However, I am glad that she enjoys to read. As kids get older, it seems that this love for reading may fade. Using activities to help connect with literature can help children enjoy reading for a lifetime.
Food
Green Eggs and Ham is a favorite children’s book. After reading the Dr. Seuss tale, I remember my parents making me the dish. However, connecting literature with food doesn’t have to stop there. When reading stories about blueberries, you can make blueberry muffins. If your child has a tale about the alphabet, make pancakes in the shapes of letters.
Science
Tales about animals, insects and rainbows are all good opportunities to learn about science. Use prisms to make rainbows and talk about the spectrum of light. Follow the migration of butterflies on the Internet. Make a diorama of an animal’s habitat. For stories about plants, you could try growing a lima bean plant or planting some seeds.
Art
My daughter likes Wonder Pets. For Christmas, we got her a book and a watercolor paint book featuring the characters from the book and T.V. show. An easy way to connect with a story is to print out some online coloring pages. Or, simply give your child a blank piece of paper and have him or her draw a picture about the story. As kids get older, they can write a sentence about the book.
See a Movie or Play
Many books have professional plays or movies in the theater to see. However, you can also act out the story with puppets. All you need is a box. Cut out a big square window and cover it with fabric. You can make finger or sock puppets. Then write a short script or do an impromptu play. Another idea is to rent a flick and have a family movie night. Make fun treats and enjoy the show. Afterwards, you can even talk about how the movie and book were similar.
Picking an activity all depends on your child’s personality. These projects should be fun and not a chore. Ask kids to give input on the types of activities they want to partake in. Remember, not every book has to be attached to an activity. After all, sometimes you just have to read for enjoyment.
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