With all the therapy appointments and hectic schedule we have for the summer, I wanted to find something fun for Abby to enjoy. We have always loved reading to her but she’s usually never interested in sitting still for longer than the first two pages, after that she’s up and running to do something else. I figured that getting some new books to read together would not only be fun for her (story time!) but might also help her with learning to sit still for longer periods of time.
While hanging out on FB one evening, I noticed one of the local pages post about the upcoming Summer Reading Program at the library. Not only do the kids read books to earn prizes but there are also fun craft activities and parties, sounded perfect for Abby!
We headed to the library right after therapy one day, signed up for a new library card (we have lived here for two years yet I’ve never gone to the library) and got to work looking for some fun books for her. She had an absolutely blast discovering the library, meeting new friends and just sitting and reading while I found her books to check out.
she looked so cute sitting there reading that I just had to sneak a couple of pictures with my phone!
Right now children are allowed to check out ten books at a time so I quickly found her ten books and we headed home. She talked nonstop about going to the library and when we got home, she immediately wanted to sit down and read her books with me… all ten of them! She had so much fun reading those books and I was thrilled when she happily sat still as I read each one. Once we finished all ten, she informed me that we needed to go get new books. Yep, looks like she got my love for reading (I hope so anyways).
We have gone back to the library a couple of times now, each time checking out ten books for her and each time immediately reading all ten as soon as we get home. We went from simple board books like Sandra Boynton (which Abby actually owns several of) to books like “If You Give a Mouse a Cookie” and other cute books by Laura Numeroff. I found fun counting books and Abby really loved the Dr. Seuss books I found.
While summer is usually filled with outdoor activities, it is also nice to have something to enjoy inside on super hot or rainy days. Plus I know Abby is learning and expanding her imagination, I love encouraging her to read… even if mommy and daddy are the ones doing the actual reading right now. To hear her ask to go get new books is wonderful, getting a new book to read is just as awesome to her as getting a new toy! Our local library also has a bus that goes all around time, a traveling library, and Abby gets so excited every time she hears the music and spots that big blue bus! We normally miss actually getting to go in the bus thanks to all our appointments but we always manage to see if and maybe we will catch it one day before the end of summer. She calls it the Book Bus!
Check with your local library to see if they are having any kind of summer reading program and enjoy reading this summer with your kids!
Reading is so important! I love taking my son to the library. I haven’t taken him for a while, so thanks for the reminder!