please turn it off and read a book (tips + free printable)

I'm not a huge electronics fan. For our kids, I mean. I struggle with it because I know that's where the world is headed...yet Ben and I don't want our kids to lose their imagination or be addicted to the tv, computer, and video games. It's a struggle, isn't it?

We actually have found a great app for reading called Bookboard and the kids love it. I know there are many out there, and yes...we have a few.

But there's just something about unplugging and holding the actual book...feeling the pages, and inhaling the scent. Who's with me?! {or maybe I'm just weird}

{please tell me you love this as much as I do! head over to The Tomkat Studio to print it out}

We obviously love books over here and have worked hard to encourage our Crazies to love them, too. It has certainly taken work. And patience. But they've finally been bitten by the reading bug.

Sigh. Finally.

Do yours struggle to enjoy it? If so, please don't be discouraged! I've been there, believe me.  Head over here for some reaaaally great ideas.

In our house, we  have quiet time every afternoon while the little kids nap. They can work in their workbooks {Summer Bridge & Brain Quest are two favorites}, but they must read for at least 20 minutes.

I'm horrible at getting books back to the library on time {sorry Ben} so instead, I often take the family to second hand book stores or Goodwill to find stacks to add to our collection.

Churches and schools have fantastic $1 book sales, too!

It doesn't take much to get a kid excited. We often build a fort in our basement, stuffing it with pillows and blankets. They fill up a basket with books from the shelves, and voila...they're thrilled. Sometimes they even ask to turn the lights off and switch on flashlights to read by. Totally camping style.

Other times I'll build a "reading wagon," filling the Radio Flyer we found on Craigslist with a picnic blanket, mason jars full of lemonade, paper straws, and a whole slew of books {of their choosing}.

Keep working at it. It's all about trial and error, figuring out what will hook them.

Think about what they love. Is it soccer? Find soccer books. Do they have a mechanical mind? There's a book for that!

Ezekiel basically despises fiction so we've found all sorts of historical or {gasp!} historical fiction books for him like I Survived and the Who Was series.

After bringing home both Abreham and Ezekiel, our eyes were opened in how difficult it was to comprehend the basis of a story. Their conversational English developed relatively quickly, but reading comprehension was a challenge.

I'll talk about this in the next week or so...along with tips and things we've found to be a big help in encouraging them both to understand what they're reading, and to fall in love with books.

Hope it helps, if you're going through this same difficult season!

{much of what I'll talk about can be implemented to help any struggling reader}

//// I'd love to know...what tips and ideas do you have? ////