How to make it fun to go to library

[Anonymous]

Use your librarian as a resource. If your kid is looking for an age appropriate graphic novel, or the 4 year old wants a book about farm animals, they can pull a few books for you. Kids sections are hard to sort through. There are also magazines, graphic novels, nonfiction, audiobooks, books with CDs, dvds- lots of formats to explore.

Also you can try finding non fiction or reference books as a family. For example my 6 year old was wanting to try some new things for dinner so we picked out some cook books for us to find some new menu items. Or if we were talking about something like how cars work I make a note and we find a book about it later. FWIW we have at least 20 books checked out at any given time. Some come home and don't get read, but most do.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Op here.

Thank you. Teacher tells me that first grader can work on reading fluency by reading out aloud and reading comprehension by paying more attention. He can read. I am fine with 4 year old still likes to look at pictures. We are still working on pre-literacy skill like letter ABC.

The older one loves comics, and the younger one loves beautiful pictures. I read to the younger one more often. I will let them check out some books, and I like the theme ideas and a bin to store books. There is no in person story time now at my nearby library.

My main purpose is to work on reading fluency and better writing skill for the older one, and expose the younger one with more books.

The most powerful thing for both fluency and comprehension is reading aloud to your kid. Far more important than him reading to himself. Let him get some comics to read too but you should be doing the majority of the reading.

— Reading teacher

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Op here.

Thank you. Teacher tells me that first grader can work on reading fluency by reading out aloud and reading comprehension by paying more attention. He can read. I am fine with 4 year old still likes to look at pictures. We are still working on pre-literacy skill like letter ABC.

The older one loves comics, and the younger one loves beautiful pictures. I read to the younger one more often. I will let them check out some books, and I like the theme ideas and a bin to store books. There is no in person story time now at my nearby library.

My main purpose is to work on reading fluency and better writing skill for the older one, and expose the younger one with more books.

The most powerful thing for both fluency and comprehension is reading aloud to your kid. Far more important than him reading to himself. Let him get some comics to read too but you should be doing the majority of the reading.

— Reading teacher

Why is that? I thought reading fluency is improved by kid reading out aloud, not the kid being read to.

[Anonymous]

For both kids, get lots of picture books, including ones without words. You can flip through silently or take turns narrating whatever story congress to your head. Barbara Lehman is one without, but your librarian can suggest others. Many picture books with words have more advanced stories than early readers, making them wonderful for read aloud.

Also limit electronics at home. It's amazing how kids will gravitate towards books when they're the most entertaining option. Anything goes: comics, stories, sports, atlases, world records, joke books, pranks, Star Wars (especially enticing if they're interested in characters but not yet allowed to see the movie). One of my kids could read dessert cookbooks all day long. Another loves stuff like Captain Underpants. Neither would be my choice, but that's the beauty about it. They get full agency in the library.

[Anonymous]

Definitely agree with everyone saying to read aloud to them. Make it part of bedtime. Aim for 20 minutes a day.

Let them check out books. Make them responsible for keeping track of them. Yes, you will have to help with this but if you want your kids to love books and reading, you'll need to put in some effort on that front.

My 7th grader and 5th grader still get excited about going to the library.

[Anonymous]

I just wanted to say once a week is ideal. More than that and it loses the appeal. Also, you need to let them check out books! That’s so fun for kids!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Op here.

Thank you. Teacher tells me that first grader can work on reading fluency by reading out aloud and reading comprehension by paying more attention. He can read. I am fine with 4 year old still likes to look at pictures. We are still working on pre-literacy skill like letter ABC.

The older one loves comics, and the younger one loves beautiful pictures. I read to the younger one more often. I will let them check out some books, and I like the theme ideas and a bin to store books. There is no in person story time now at my nearby library.

My main purpose is to work on reading fluency and better writing skill for the older one, and expose the younger one with more books.

The most powerful thing for both fluency and comprehension is reading aloud to your kid. Far more important than him reading to himself. Let him get some comics to read too but you should be doing the majority of the reading.

— Reading teacher

Why is that? I thought reading fluency is improved by kid reading out aloud, not the kid being read to.

Dp. Ideally, the child will be read to, be read to and follow along as you read, will read to themself and will read to someone else. When my kids were young, they did the read to a dog program at the library (Paws to read). This was especially good for my reluctant reader because the dog helped him relax and the dog was non judgmental, lol. This child, now 12, is a voracious reader. I still read to him each night.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Op here.

Thank you. Teacher tells me that first grader can work on reading fluency by reading out aloud and reading comprehension by paying more attention. He can read. I am fine with 4 year old still likes to look at pictures. We are still working on pre-literacy skill like letter ABC.

The older one loves comics, and the younger one loves beautiful pictures. I read to the younger one more often. I will let them check out some books, and I like the theme ideas and a bin to store books. There is no in person story time now at my nearby library.

My main purpose is to work on reading fluency and better writing skill for the older one, and expose the younger one with more books.

The most powerful thing for both fluency and comprehension is reading aloud to your kid. Far more important than him reading to himself. Let him get some comics to read too but you should be doing the majority of the reading.

— Reading teacher

Another reading teacher here to agree with this. Especially as the mom, that’s your primary “job”. Read, read, read. No rules, as long as they want, make it fun.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Op here.

Thank you. Teacher tells me that first grader can work on reading fluency by reading out aloud and reading comprehension by paying more attention. He can read. I am fine with 4 year old still likes to look at pictures. We are still working on pre-literacy skill like letter ABC.

The older one loves comics, and the younger one loves beautiful pictures. I read to the younger one more often. I will let them check out some books, and I like the theme ideas and a bin to store books. There is no in person story time now at my nearby library.

My main purpose is to work on reading fluency and better writing skill for the older one, and expose the younger one with more books.

The most powerful thing for both fluency and comprehension is reading aloud to your kid. Far more important than him reading to himself. Let him get some comics to read too but you should be doing the majority of the reading.

— Reading teacher

Why is that? I thought reading fluency is improved by kid reading out aloud, not the kid being read to.

The kid hears how words are pronounced.

They learn sentence structure.

They learn vocabulary.

[Anonymous]

I agree with not putting restrictions on it. Let them take out whatever, even if you think it's too young/easy. I always just let them take whatever looked good to them. And I never said no to reading aloud anything they wanted while in the library. They could also choose one dvd to take out which was some big novelty...lol.

My "I hate to read" kid learned to read eventually because of one Dr Seuss book she had memorized. Eventually she decided to follow along with the words in that book and then figured out she could also read those words in other books and it started to click.

My "I love to read" kid would take out books that I thought were too hard for him (I knew he could read the words, but the content was above him). So what? He pushed through, asked a lot of questions, maybe he missed some of the deeper meaning but it's all good experience.

[Anonymous]

Doesn't your local library do story-time for kids?

(Maybe yours are too old for it and/or it is still cancelled for COVID reasons. But, most kids enjoy it, and you can use the time before or after to browse.)

[Anonymous]

Children's Librarian here.

You "make it fun" by it not being a chore. Let the kids check out books! Limit the number of books checked out, if you must, but having kids go to the library for mandatory sit and read time - and then not bring the books home - is very anti-fun.

The absolute quietest time in my household of raucous children is the hour after we get home from our family library trips. They are all excited about the books they picked out and immediately want to read. Sometimes they don't even make it to a couch, but sprawl in the entry way - so eager to start looking at their books. And my children are not natural readers.

[Anonymous]

We do a library bag for each child and they can check out as many books as they can carry in their bag. Then at home books that are not being read live in the bag. They all love seeing how many they can carry and we haven't lost any books yet.

[Anonymous]

Op here. I took both kids to library today. The first grader did not want to checkout any books, but he read a few simple books there. I had to limit how many books the 4 year old could checkout, and she ended up with 15 books with those picture books that she wanted. I already tried my best to make it exciting, and all the oldest care could play kid game at library computer. At the end, I made him to checkout a few book against his wishes of checkout zero book, and they were all simple books with pictures. I told him that if he got to read 50 books, he will get a reward which I has not thought about it yet. Before we went to library, I took them to dunkin donuts for treats beforehand. I already did my best to make it fun.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I think you are doing this backwards - let them check out as many as they like and have a special basket at home where those books are kept. Why make them read at the library? The fun is being able to take as many as you want home to look at whenever you like!

If you can go during a storytime, the little one can be amused while the olders find their books.

+1