Steve Ahrens, Franchise Ownerof Kiddie Academy of Bothell says that Dr. Seuss’s birthday, March 2, is a great day for families to think about ways to give their children the gift of a lifelong love of reading.

“While learning to read is a gradual process, involving letter sounds, vocabulary, grammar and comprehension, learning to enjoy reading is something that children do best at home,” said Ahrens. “When children read only in school, they may see reading only as school ‘work’; but when children see their parents and siblings reading at home for entertainment or sit down with a family member to share a favorite book, they get the message that reading can be something you do for fun. And that’s an essential step in raising a lifelong reader.”

Each year, on Dr. Seuss’s birthday, the National Education Association (NEA) sponsors their “Read Across America Day” in honor of the well-known children’s book author. The message of this celebration is clear: encourage children to read – for enjoyment, for knowledge, for relaxation, for life. Ahrens shares three tips that Bothell families can use to bring the Read Across America celebration into their own homes:

• Be a reading role model. Make sure your child sees you reading to gain knowledge and for entertainment. Talk about your favorite childhood books and introduce them to your child.

• Make reading together interactive. Don’t rush to “finish” the book. Ask your child questions about illustrations and characters; encourage your child to make predictions and observations about the story; invite your child to “retell” the story; and take turns reading out loud.

• Have your child read you a book. Even pre-readers will enjoy “reading” to you if you pick a book that they know well. Turn the pages as they tell you the story, prompted by their memory and the book’s illustrations.

“The benefits of making reading a part of your child’s everyday world go far beyond ‘learning to read’,” said Ahrens. “Activities like reading together, sharing favorite books, and discovering new interests and ideas together not only help boost your child’s literacy skills; they help build treasured family memories.”

Kiddie Academy is a leader in education-based child care, offering full- and part-time care, before- and after-school care and summer camp programs to Bothell families and their children. For more information about Kiddie Academy of Bothell, please contact Steve Ahrens at 425-485-7200 or bothell@kiddieacademy.net or visit www.kiddieacademy.com/bothell.

For more information about Kiddie Academy visit www.kiddieacademy.com.