What could happen if you did A Read A Day?

We’ve all heard the old saying that an apple a day keeps a doctor away. My dad said it to me almost every time he handed me an apple as a kid.

The general premise was if you eat good food then you’ll stay healthy, right? While the whole “apple a day” theory isn’t true in the strictest sense I do think the idea holds true. Healthy food goes a long was to keeping our bodies healthy.

What about our minds?

Is there one thing, one apple you could say, to help ensure your child would be smart, literate, do well in school?

A Read A Day

It has been shown by researchers that yes, in fact, there is an apple for the mind. Books!

Reading books to your kids is like feeding their brain apples. And just like those apples, they need a read a day. At least.

Books aren’t the whole solution. Obviously you still need to keep their bodies healthy and safe. You need to have conversations. You need to offer them problems for their little brains to solve. You need to give them space for running and climbing.

Reading aloud however is a huge piece in the puzzle of child development and later reading development.

What the stats tell us

Research has shown that reading aloud to a child….

• Stimulates early brain development
• Builds important language, literacy and social skills
• And more, so much more.

Incredible right? All that just from reading to a child.

Despite all this research we are facing a literacy crisis. According to Reading is Fundamental, 34% of kids in the US enter kindergarten unaccustomed to books and unprepared to learn to read. What follows is a steady drop off in interest, literacy, and then eventually a staggering 8,000 high school drop outs per day. 

But what if they had just had their apples. Just one book per day read aloud to them from early childhood?

and the most important part.

Even more importantly, I think that read aloud with kids is what truly creates life long readers and that’s the goal right?

The goal isn’t just that your kids will be able to read the ingredients for something they want to cook or the newspaper to stay informed or any of the other practical uses. We also want our kids to fall in love with books. 

If you’re a reader you know the joy I’m talking about. The way hours fly past when you’re reading a good book. The worlds you have gotten lost in and the characters you have been inspired by.

I want that for my kids and no criss-cross applesauce phonics lesson in school is going to inspire an enthusiasm for reading that way you can by reading aloud.

This is the most important part of creating readers. 

So what’s the plan here?

For over two years I posted a monthly reading challenge to subscribers. This is no longer an active challenge, however, if you would like to challenge yourself and complete the challenge with your kids you can still enter your email to gain access to all previous challenge posts and printable lists.

What’s involved?

• Printable reading challenge tracker
• Monthly themes to inspire you and diversify your reading
• All completely FREE!

What do you need to do? Join a Read a Day today!

Join the A Read A Day Reading Challenge

Given the research and well immense fun of reading aloud, I have challenged myself to read every single day to my kids and I hope you’ll join us.

You don’t have to be a parent. This challenge is for anyone who spends time every day with a child or group of children . All you have to do is spend a little time every single day for 365 days reading aloud.

But Erin, you say “I already read every day to my kids.”

Well first – AWESOME!! Way to go you! – and second, I challenge you to read more! Pick one more time a day and read again or simply read an extra book when you already routinely read. Your kiddos’ enlarged vocabulary, expanding understanding of the world, and head start on falling in love with books will be your incredible thank you.

Ready to get started?

Ready to connect with your kids over some amazing books? Ready to get inspired with new reading ideas? Ready to meet new authors and new favorite books?

Let’s get started!

What do you have to do?

1. Subscribe below and you’ll immediately gain access to the printable tracker and previous printable book lists. (Once you subscribed just enter your email in the box below to gain access!)
2. Print the Challenge + Post it somewhere you will see every day. Every month we will have a new fun theme and book ideas.
3. Read a book a day and check off that day’s box.
4. Pick a prize for you and your kids when you complete a month or the whole year. Maybe a trip to the local bookstore to get a new book? Maybe an ice cream party?

Frequently Asked Questions

Do I have to follow the list and theme you sent or can I just read what I want?

My overall goals are to encourage you to read aloud more and to introduce you to some authors, books, and ideas you might not have considered. I encourage you to try new books and new ideas, but if you are reading at least one book to your child every day then you can cross off a box.

Still have a question?

Email me at: erin@mystorytimecorner.com

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