My parents always talk about how I became an avid reader at a very young age–but I'm pretty sure childhood me had nothing on 5-year-old Sophia Moss.
The Louisiana girl reads a book nearly every day, at least 875 a school year. Wow! Have I mentioned she's only 5?
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She reads so much, so fast that she's already finished reading almost all of the books in the kindergarten and first grade section of her elementary school library. "I told Sophia, I said we're going to have to order more books for T.S. Cooley Library because she's read so many of them and enjoys so many of them," librarian Mary Lanier said of the little girl's passion for books.
Sophia is so crazy about reading that her father, Carl–who says they check out at least 20 books a week from the school library–even proclaims he has a hard time getting her to go to sleep because she'd rather be reading.
Isn't that just amazing?! It's rare to find adults that like to read these days, let alone kids as young as Sophie. Being a big reader myself, I'm so glad to see that her father and teachers are encouraging this hobby. Who knows? Maybe she'll become an author one day!
Sophie's story should serve as an inspiring example for others parents to get their children excited about picking up a book from a young age. Not sure where to start? Check out five ways to get your kids reading this summer:
Mix up your reading
You don't have to stick to just books. Read kid-friendly magazines or whatever you think will help capture their interest. And it's even better if you read the material with your child!
Make it a routine
Carve out a portion of their day and dedicate it to reading. If they spend all day at camp, maybe it will provide for some good downtime after dinner. You could make a visit to the library a weekly trip. Or if your kids are very young, you can make it a bedtime activity.
Combine activities with books.
Obviously summer is all about spending time in the sun–so incorporate reading into your favorite outdoor activities. Going camping or to spend a day in the park? Bring a book along! Playing baseball? Get your kid a book on MLB players. And the same applies for indoor activities. Catching a movie? If it happens to be based off a book, try reading it. If not, pick up reading material that revolves around a similar theme in the movie.
Sign them up for a challenge
Libraries often hold summer reading challenges for young kids, which could serve as the perfect motivation. If challenges aren't your child's thing, libraries often also have reading groups for kids, which gives them a chance to be around other kids while enjoying a book. Either way, it's definitely worth signing up for a library card!
Start a series
If you start a kid-friendly series (like Harry Potter) with your kid, they'll probably get hooked and want to read more to find out what happens next!
