How to Start a Book Club for Kids
It can be difficult sometimes to encourage children to read, but it’s rewarding when kids are excited about reading books. Here are some helpful ways to start your own kids’ book club.
Tips to Help Your Child Read and Write Cursive Handwriting
Even with the increasing use of technology, many people believe that it continues to be important for children to learn cursive handwriting. The argument can be made that even if one doesn’t believe it’s necessary for children to write in cursive, it’s still important for them to be able to read cursive. Because reading and writing are reciprocal processes, learning to write in cursive will then help a child to read cursive.
Managing the School Year While Keeping Your Sanity
Now that the school year is fully underway many parents are beginning to feel the crunch. Between school orientations, conferences, chauffeuring kids, after-school activities, and homework, it’s easy to despair. While the start of school comes with its own set of unique challenges, perhaps the biggest one is how to juggle it all while maintaining one’s sanity. Take heart if you are feeling overwhelmed! With a bit of organization and a lot of deep breathing, you too can survive the beginning of a new school year. Check out these tips from Red Apple Reading:
Supporting Your Child’s Teacher
With the new school year under way, children are making the transition from summer break to being in the classroom. This change in routine can be challenging for everyone – children, teachers, and parents. As parents we must find that balance between handing over the reins to the teacher while still being an active source of support in the educational process. What can parents do to help their child’s teacher? Red Apple Reading has some helpful suggestions for parents who want to support those who educate their children.
It’s Not Too Late to Avoid the Summer Slide!
I’m always amazed how fast our summer slips away. I blink and suddenly it’s the middle of July and all my good intentions for having a productive break have begun to flounder. It can be easy to let learning slide during the summer months, but the cumulative effects of educational inactivity really do add up! The result being our kids end up losing many of the gains they made during the school year. Don’t despair if you have let your kiddos fall into a summer slump. It’s not too late to take hold of the reigns and incorporate a little learning into the rest of the summer holiday. Try including some of the following activities into your kids’ summer schedule.
Best Ways to Practice Spelling Words
Most elementary school students come home each week with a list of words to master by Friday. Learning to spell is an important part of literacy development, but daily word drilling can seem like a tedious chore to both child and parent. Take heart! Spelling practice doesn’t have to be a bore. With a few useful tools, you can help your kiddo actually enjoy spelling test prep! Check out these tips.
Helping Your Child with Reading Homework
Each afternoon parents check their children’s backpacks to determine what homework needs to be completed for the evening. Somewhere among the items listed one usually finds: read for __ minutes. While this task seems relatively straightforward, you may find yourself wondering what you should be doing to ensure this assignment is actually yielding the greatest benefit for your kiddo. Parents need not be over-involved in reading homework, but they can employ a few strategies to help their children get the most out of their book!
School Themed Books – Goodbye Summer!
Summer is winding down and a new school year is quickly approaching. Children can have mixed feelings about entering a new grade. Part of our responsibility as parents is to assist our kids in navigating these varied emotions and help them begin school with a positive outlook. One way we can help our kids get ready for the first day of school is by sharing a book with them. We think you and your kiddo will enjoy these titles about school!
Enrich Your Child’s Summer Reading
Most high schools and some middle and elementary schools assign a list of books to be read before returning to school. So if you have school age children, chances are they are in the midst of their required reading. Many kids enjoy checking off their summer reading, but some (ahem, mine) chafe at the thought of being told what to read. Perhaps there is a way for parents to make the summer reading process more palatable for the kid who bucks against it as well as more enriching for the kid who enjoys it. Check out these summer reading enrichment activities from Red Apple Reading!
Settling Into a New School Year
The school supplies have been purchased, orientations attended, and bed times have been established – the new school year is underway! Most parents have started settling in to the routine for the fall, but how are your children adjusting? Don’t assume that no news is good news. Specific probing statements and questions such as, “Tell me about your teacher”, or “What subject do you think you might struggle the most with this year?” can help your child to open up. Red Apple Reading has some tips for helping your child navigate issues with friends, teachers, and homework.