Monkey Joe's Blog
Read Aloud and Jump Around! It’s National Reading Month!
Posted on Mar 07, 2016
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Did you know that March is National Reading Month? Many of our locations celebrated Read Across America Day with events like Dr. Seuss's Birthday Party, giving kids a chance to enjoy classics like The Cat in the Hat and even meet the character!
We're proud to be a Read Aloud campaign partner, so we're spreading the word about reading aloud to kids for at least 15 minutes a day, every day. Wondering why reading aloud matters?
- Research shows that reading aloud to kids is the single most important thing you can do to prepare them for reading and learning.
- Birth to 3 years old is a critical window for a child's language development skills. The more words they hear during this time, the better!
- The number of words a child knows at the start of kindergarten can be used as a predictor of future success in school.
- Reading aloud helps kids build a wide range of literacy skills, like vocabulary, phonics, comprehension, and storytelling.
- Books can also be educational; maybe you'll both learn something new!
- Daily reading time is also a great way to bond with your kids. Put down the electronic devices, cuddle up, and read a good book. You're sure to make some great memories.
Now that you know the importance of reading aloud, how will you make reading a priority with your kids? The key is to make it fun, and remember that reading doesn't have to be a sedentary activity. Get your kids moving by having them act out some of the actions from the book you're reading, from animal movements to running in place to hopping around.
You can also make it social and start a book club! A weekly or monthly book club is a great way to enjoy reading with friends and find new books you might never have discovered on your own. Get a group of friends together at your local Monkey Joe's and read a story. Then let the kids run wild in our indoor playground while the grown ups discuss the book or make plans for future readings. The story is sure to jump start the kids' imaginations for some creative free play, and our inflatable jumps, slides, and obstacle courses encourage them to run, jump, climb, crawl, and slide.
To learn more about group rates or kids events near you, use our locator to find your Monkey Joe's!
Infographic via ReadAloud.org
