by Cathy Kelly
When my children were younger, one of our most fun filled, free activities, involved going to the library. You can use your local library to help your children become enthusiastic and skilled lifelong readers.
Use this routine as a guide in establishing a habit of visiting the library with your children.
Make regular visits to take your children to the library to get their own library card.
Be a role model to show your children that reading is important—and fun.
Make a library visit a permanent part of the weekly schedule.
Check out books to read as well as books to read aloud and share.
Take care of books and return them on time.
Learn about the Library
Take a tour of the children’s section of the library with the children’s librarian.
Point out:
Sections where storybooks, nonfiction, magazines, and tapes are shelved
Computers that can help children find books
The organization of the fiction section
Where storybooks are put in order of the alphabet by author
Choose Books with Your Child
You can help your children discriminate when they choose a book to read.
They can talk about their interests and help them locate books on sports, science, or other topics
Guide children toward books that they can read independently
Help them choose new books as well as old favorites
Remind children about favorite authors or stories so they can find related works
Encourage children to stretch their abilities by sometimes choosing a book a little above their reading level
Participate in library events. You can find out about the library’s many events by checking the local newspaper and the library’s bulletin board and by getting on the library mailing list
