Summer Reading!

The lazy days of summer are here, which means that summer reading time has begun! Reading to (and with) your children is one of the best ways to develop language skills, narrative skills, and a lifelong love for reading! The first few years of your child's life are the most crucial for making these important connections, so read to your baby and keep on reading to them and with them as they grow up!
Many libraries offer summer reading programs for children, often with incentives (read: prizes!) for reading a certain amount of books or hours. Portland's summer reading program begins TODAY, so get to your local branch and sign up!
Reading is one of my little guy's favorite activities. We have kid-proof board books all over the house where he can reach them and pick them out by himself. We also have them in the car and I ALWAYS have some with me if we are going to dinner or anywhere else where we may have to spend some time waiting. Books are a great distraction, don't take up much space and (most of them) don't make loud annoying noises-- what more could you want in a toy?
Toddlers get a huge kick out of going to the library and getting to choose some books to borrow. This not only teaches our children to love to read, but also teaches them that we don't need to buy everything new-- oftentimes we can borrow what we need and then return it when we are done. Feed the brain, save the planet! Let's Read!