Children’s literacy …

Sometimes it can be hard to encourage children to read more. There are so many distractions from the plethora of electronic devices and social media to online games and hundreds of tv channels.

However, reading for pleasure is so important for a child’s development. It can help to open up a world of imagination and form the basis for a lifelong reading habit.

Evidence suggests that children who read for enjoyment every day not only perform better in reading tests than those who don’t, but also develop a broader vocabulary, increased general knowledge and a better understanding of other cultures. In fact, there’s evidence to suggest that reading for pleasure is more likely to determine whether a child does well at school than their social or economic background. (quoted from Pearson.com Enjoy Reading website)

If you find that reading for pleasure dips during the long summer holidays then the Summer Reading Challenge might just help. The Challenge encourages children aged between 4 and 11 to borrow books from libraries and to read at least 6 books during the summer school holidays when reading can dip. This year’s theme is Mythical Maze. Read all about the Summer Reading Challenge here.

There are also some excellent guides to making reading fun for all children including this guide here.

And, of course, a good bookmark always comes in handy when you are reading. To see our lovely animal themed felt bookmarks click here.