Reading: Family Literacy

Book-Friendly Bedrooms

 

            Today's Snack: Put some tuna on a . . . BED of lettuce, and drink a glass of tomato juice.

 

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Here are some great ideas for changing a bedroom into a haven for readers. What you're after is a space with good lighting that encourages reading, promotes creativity, speaks to the student's interests and hobbies, and displays his or her favorite possessions - which, we hope, includes books!

A book-friendly bedroom:

 

Never has a TV, video games, or a computer. Keep all electronics in the "public" parts of the home, such as the family room, where you can keep an eye on what your student is doing, and monitor the length of use.

 

Always has a bookshelf. It can display objects as well as books. It might hold all the books in the usual, vertical position, or show some stacked on their sides and some displaying beautiful covers. Fun bookends can polish off the look.

 

Has an interesting, creative theme. Books may carry out the theme, too. The decorations tickle the imagination and make the owner of the room, as well as the visitors, want to know more about the theme - which they can get from books! Examples:

 

Adventure

Animals

Art

Bugs

Comic books

Dogs

Fantasy and magic

Favorite characters

Humor and laughter

Innovators and history-makers

Medieval times

Mysteries

Myths and legends

Science and nature

Space

 

Store books creatively. You might display several adventure books in a stack with a pair of binoculars on top in front of a framed antique map. A grouping of mystery books might have a magnifying glass nearby, and books about the ocean could have a beautiful seashell. A set of joke books might store a whoopee cushion. Books about faraway places might be stacked under a globe or a treasure chest.

 

Make a comfortable reading corner or buy a reading pillow for the bed. A beanbag on a fluffy rug with a good lamp nearby makes a wonderful place to read. If your child likes to read on the bed, a reading pillow can give the back and neck support needed to keep turning those pages for a long time.

 

Provide a book listing system. Whether you give your child a special box in which to keep index cards with each book's title and author, or a reading scrapbook in which he or she can jot down a few lines about each book, it's a great idea to encourage your student to keep track of all the books he or she has read and celebrate as that list gets longer and longer!