Cultivating a Love of Reading

Did you know that young people who don't read proficiently by 3rd grade are 4 times more likely to drop out of school?  A love of reading is usually developed early on in life and nurtured by caring adults who help kids identify their passions and find books that will engage and interest them.

How are you nurturing a young person's interests and directing them to books that can help them broaden their knowledge and horizons?  Start by taking a trip to the Library together.  Younger kids will enjoy learning how a library works, while older kids might be excited to get their very own library card.  Give them the chance to choose a book and read it together.  Take some time afterward to discuss what they liked about it, what they didn't like and what they learned.

Reading is Fundamental (RIF) is the leading voice for children’s literacy and has distributed more than 415 million books and impacted the lives of more than 50 million children.  Their Literacy Central online resource is a great compilation of tips for encouraging reading, literacy calendars and other fun activities to build a love of reading in your young person.  Did you know RIF is right here in our neighborhood?  Check out Reading is Fundamental Pittsburgh for volunteer opportunities to help local kids build a lifelong love of reading!