WHAT A CHILD'S LIBRARY SHOULD INCLUDE

Does your child have a library of books at home yet? I am sure there are plenty of books scattered around here and there that they love, but do they have a collection they can go to find a special type of book?

Of course, you do not need anything fancy but a nice array of books in an organized location that your child loves is always a great tool to have.   

As the summer winds down, now is the time to start getting your school-aged child ready for school and in the reading mindset. If your kids are still really young, now is the time to start nurturing his or her love of reading, if they are not already little "bookworms."  

Getting your kids "library" started is easy. You can build a "library" section for them in their room or simply set up a nice reading area to call their own somewhere in the house.  I did that for my kids when I purchased a rug about reading and put one tall lamp with a nice big comfy bean bag in a corner of our living room area.  There are other areas of course where they can read, but this is their special reading place!"  You can even use big or small clear bins and label them with either the types of books, the titles or use pictures if your kids are younger.  Organization, visual appeal and accessibility are key.

If you do not already have a library of books for your child, here is a great guideline on how to build that library at home.

Your child's library can be broken down into Fiction books, Non-Fiction books, How-To's and Poetry books.

Reading fiction books at a child's reading level helps him or her to practice their reading strategies and improve their reading skills as well as build their vocabulary. It also helps them to read independently because they are confident in their own reading ability.

When a child is reading above their reading level it helps them to build a stronger vocabulary and teaches them about different story lines and plots they may not always read about at their level. 

If your child currently only wants to stick to easy fiction books this can be used to practice fluency in reading and also to help the child practice reading with expression.  They can practice on the "easy" books to build up their love of reading and then start to move up.

Non-Fiction books not only help your child improve their reading skills but it also teaches them to gather information independently for a book report for example or simply for historical knowledge.  Even younger children now-a-days in school sometimes have to report on what they've read and learned. 

SAMPLE BOOK REPORT TEMPLATE

Another great way for your child to learn is by reading non-fiction books above the child's reading level. In this case, the parent reads to the child and shows them the book as they are reading. This way they experience learning about a subject while the parent explains and the child is happy that the adult is reading to them, while gathering information.

Two more great types of books that can be part of your child's library are; "How To" Books and Poetry Books.

How-To books are excellent to teach young children how to follow directions in completing a task or building something. It teaches them and reinforces how to follow directions in order.

Poetry books, although not always very popular with kids can be useful in helping appreciate language and its rhyming patterns. It also helps them use their imagination.

Oh, and don't forget magazines!  There are plenty of age-appropriate magazines for school-aged kids to read. They can always find great articles and they are sure to love the pictures and how bright and colorful they tend to be. Another perk of magazines, is you can order a subscription of an age-appropriate magazine for your child and they will be that much more excited to read it when it arrives!

So no matter what kind of book your child likes to read, it's about nurturing their love of reading one book at a time.

  Here are some book shelf ideas for your child's room:


 

This Tot Tutor Kid's Book Rack is colorful and rather inexpensive. It is the perfect starter bookshelf:

Another colorful option is the KidsKraft Puzzle Book Shelf: