Encourage Kids to Read More with Kindle and Printables
Did you know March is National Reading Month? This is certainly one theme I can get excited about. Here in Chiberia, we’ve been reading together an awful lot due to being trapped in the house to avoid lung-stopping cold temperatures.
The joy of reading has not come naturally to either of my kids and I don’t want to force them and turn it into a punishment. I want them to read more because they want to.
It’s so important for their future and can be so much fun. I’ve come up with a couple ideas to encourage them to read more and they’re actually working!
Reading is Super Important
Like we all don’t already know that. The goal to read more is being shoved in our faces all the time. I remember seeing this powerful infographic a few years ago and I thought it was so interesting… it really drives the importance of daily reading home.
If 20 minutes is that awesome, then I want my kids to read more like 30 or 40 minutes. Why not? Well, as a full time student myself, I don’t have the time to pick out appropriate books, monitor them to make sure they’re actually reading, or even just remind them–I’m not home enough.
Thankfully the Amazon Kindle with FreeTime Unlimited ($2.99/month) has pulverized all these obstacles.
The new Kindle has a 20% faster processor, twice the storage, and now features a touch interface. The battery life is measured in weeks, not hours and I was able to link my Facebook, Twitter and Goodreads accounts in just a couple minutes.
Kids Read More with Kindle
Rather than nag the kids about their daily reading, the Kindle makes it more like a game so I don’t have to constantly remind them.
They have access to thousands of age appropriate materials and the more they read the more achievements they unlock. To make this even more fun, I have made coordinating achievement coupons that they can trade in for spending money or other privileges.
You can print your own by clicking on the image.
Vocabulary Builder
One of my other favorite features of the new Kindle is the ability for the kids to look up definitions of any word they hold their finger on. That word and its definition are then put onto a virtual flashcard so they can practice them all later without interrupting the plot. This is also a priceless resource for bilingual kids.
With Easter just around the corner, I think the Easter Bunny should stock up on Kindles for all the kids! If you have a little reader, here are some gift ideas for people who love to read.
Official E-Reader of the National PTA
Kindle and the National PTA are working together to help families get together and read more. To learn more about the collaboration or to host a Family Reading Experience in your area, visit www.pta.org/familyreading.
Happy National Reading Month! Encourage your kids to read more and don’t leave home without your Kindle!
I was selected for this opportunity as a member of Clever Girls and the content and opinions expressed here are all my own.
Free books abound for the Kindle both on the amazon store and at the library too! Luckily you dont even need a Kindle just the app I love reading!
I did not know this was National Reading Month. I’d better get reading. Thanks for sharing!
I didn’t know, either; cool beans! I love my Kindle App, and am super impressed with the low rate for the unlimited reading program.
This is such a great site. So many thigns to to do.
This is truly awesome, my kids love reading and they use our kindle a lot, we love the free books to download too.
I like that it can look up a word and its definition are then put onto a virtual flashcard
I think this is great! Kids today have so many gadgets and doodads, it’s really easy for reading to fall by the wayside.
Such a great idea…Thank you for sharing
My kids each have Kindle Fires and both prefer actual books to electronic ones. I am ok with that as long as they read 🙂
I really love the feel of a real book, but I do enjoy having an entire library on one device!
I’m so proud that my child gets OVER 20 min of reading every night. Thanks for sharing about these Kindle printables. What a great idea!
So I have a Kindle Paperwhite and I’m seriously addicted to it. And my Son, now 11 years old is getting to where he wants one too! He likes the idea of having such easy access to many different books all in one device. I would love to get him a Kindle with all those incentives to keep reading! Reading is important to us. And my kids are required to read 20 minutes a night. But then after that, they always ask to read before bed too…that’s on top of the required reading. So obviously I always say YES.
I’m a huge advocate about the importance of kids reading! What a great way to get kids excited about reading.
My kids LOVE to read! I’ve been thinking about purchasing them a Kindle as it looks like it’ll make things easier for them.
I am so thankful that my kids love to read like I do. They don’t mind reading off their kindles (even though I can’t).
I think encouraging your kids to read more in any way possible is great. I love that word definition feature of the Kindle! That is so cool.
I have not heard this about Kindles before. This is a great way to get the kids excited about reading and into it.
This is so important. We have each of our kids read to themselves or each other every night. It is so important
I love the idea of getting kids to read more! It seems that kids aren’t interested in reading much anymore today.
I love Kindles! I have always wanted to get one of my own.
I recently downloaded Kindle on my kids devices. They have a surprisingly large section of free books for kids.
How did I not know it was National Reading Month!? I am a reader. My entire family is. I own a Kindle and my daughter has one too. She LOVES reading on it. We have Kindle Freetime and Kindle Unlimited. It seems steep with spending $9.99/mo for kindle unlimited but it really isn’t! There is so much to choose from. Right now, she’s in the process of reading all the Diary of a Whimpy Kid books. Glad I don’t have to buy each one. Pinning! I would love if you shared this at Totally Terrific Tuesday! Hope to see you there!
Sharon
Her Organized Chaos
We have a Kindle Fire and it’s awesome. Gone are the days when bookworms were required to carrying heavy stacks of books from place to place. The Kindle has access to tons of books and it’s virtually weightless.
I love my Kindle. There are so many free books available to download. My kids have always loved to read.
This is great because I am always looking for ways to keep my son engaged with reading. I know that it is so important for his success in life to be academically accomplished.
I love my kindle. Its the original and both my girls love books so we read a lot. Im sure they will love using the kindle once they are older and can read on their own.
Wow, very interesting! I have a Kindle and never thought to get books on it for my daughter. I’ll have to do that!
I love reading on my Kindle. I’ll have to get one for my daughter.
I sent that reading graphic to my son’s teacher. This is a great way to help them get their reading in. My son is in Kinder and watching him read is so cool.
WHat a great idea… I too should send it to my kids’ teachers. I am sure she will love it as much as I do
I’m big on kids reading, and my 5 year old actually has a Kindle. She loves it!
I do not own any Kindles, but we do have an iPad, and some other tablets. I am wondering if my 8 year old would actually like to read if it was on a Kindle?
I love this! I am a huge reader and my toddler is just getting into audio books and apps that read to her. I will be passing my Kindle to her in a few years and getting a new one myself!
Wow! Seeing that chart really makes a difference. I just got done reading with my son!
I’ve never been a big fan of reading. I don’t know why, but I usually just can’t sit down and get into a book. Now, listening to a book on audio is a different story. I’m hoping my kids don’t take after me when it comes to my dislike of reading so this would be helpful.
Those printables are adorable! I’m sure kids like to read more when they feel they are being rewarded!
That would be something my daughter would love. And really needs!
I’ve been adamant for years that I have no interest in an eReader, because I adore and prefer reading books I can hold in my hands, and see on my shelf. BUT…I’m coming around. For one thing, I’m out shelf space – and for another, it would be awesome to be able to take a library with us everywhere, especially traveling with a toddler/preschooler! This is a very cool feature, and another check in the “yes” column for making the investment.
I had no idea Kindle had all of this now!! What a great way to encourage kids to read more often!
My son reads every night, but it can sometimes be a struggle. Achievement coupons and a Kindle both sound like amazing ways to help get children excited about reading!
We love our kindle. So many great books available. i fort makes less mess with the kids when we travel.