Here’s a few ideas and games you can use to get your kids reading while they are out of school.
Try a “Story Scavenger Hunt”: Give your child a list of items or ideas that can be found in a specific book. For example, if you are using a picture book, the list could include items like “a red apple,” “a green frog,” or “a yellow sun.” Have your child search for these items in the book and check them off the list as they find them. If your child is older, try to look for specific scenes, interesting locations, exciting action sequences, or feelings a character may be experiencing in the book.
Another option is “Book Charades”: Write the titles of a few books on slips of paper and have your child draw one. Have your child read the book and then act out several scenes or events from the book for you in a charades-style game. You can try to guess what’s happening by asking yes-or-no questions.
Lastly you can try “Book Bingo”: You start by creating a bingo board with spaces for different elements that can be found in a book, such as characters, settings, and events. Have your child read a book and check off the elements as they come across them. When they get five in a row, they can shout “Bingo!”
These games can be a fun and engaging way to encourage kids to read and can also help to build their reading comprehension skills. And if your kids are motivated by games like these, try one of our Reading Missions at MyReadingMissing.