What do you do when a bibliophile child runs out of books? When they’ve read every book in the house multiple times and there’s no way to go out and get new books or swap with friends? You get creative, of course!
Read aloud: Get your child to read her favourite book to you. Or, if there’s a book that you’re waiting for your child to read, but you think she’s a bit too young for it, then you might want to read it out to her. It’s a great way to get kids to “read” beyond their age and develop a good vocabulary. Plus, it is a great bonding exercise and lots of fun! Or you could make siblings read out to each other (and get some time for yourself while they’re busy!)
Dig out that ignored book: Now’s the time to bring out that book that keeps getting pushed to the bottom of the to-read pile. Every book deserves a chance, and maybe, this is the right time! This is also an opportunity to try out a different genre of books — poetry, history, science and biographies, for instance.
Stories are everywhere: A story need not come only from a book. Tell your kids stories about what you did growing up. If you think there’s nothing special about your childhood, you won’t feel that way any longer once you see their mouths fall open as they wonder how you survived without the internet. Get the grandparents to tell grandkids stories about their childhoods and experiences. Reminds me of Lucy from the comic strip Peanuts, who tells her class all about what her grandmother did during the war and after. She concludes with, “talk to your grandmother today…ask her questions…you’ll find she knows more than peanut butter cookies!”
Record lockdown experiences: Children may not realise it, but they are living through a historic time. If they note down their experiences, feelings and thoughts, it might become a source of information, entertainment and wonder for them (and others) in the future. (Not to mention that it’s good writing practice!) If they are not the writing kind, then record it in some other way — audio, video, illustration, in the form of a letter, a personal diary or a journal. However, if they don’t want to record all this at all, do not force them to.
Listen to audiobooks: Audible has made many titles free at stories.audible.com, like Beatrix Potter, Winnie the Pooh, Anne of Green Gables, Alice in Wonderland, The Call of the Wild, The Jungle Book, fairy tales and much, much more! There’s something for every age. And who knows, a reluctant reader might find that audiobooks work better for her than books.
Online literature sessions: Celebrities the world over are conducting free storytelling/writing/illustration sessions for children online. Check to see if your child’s favourite author/illustrator/actor/celebrity is doing any sessions. (Example: Look for Mondays with Michelle Obama!)
Happy reading and stay healthy.
The author got a master’s degree in energy engineering and worked in the IT industry until her daughter dragged out the writer lurking inside her. She has written eight books for children and can be reached at www.shruthi-rao.com
GobbledyBook is a fortnightly column that will give you a peek into the wondrous world of children’s books. Hop on! Or as Alice did, plunge into the rabbit hole.
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