Rainy Day Reading Activities

posted by Karen Quinn, The Testing Mom - November 20th, 2013

If you’re anything like me, the prospect of a rainy day inside can cause some small feelings of dread as a parent. What do you do with your children? There is a huge temptation to simply allow them to watch tv, or play video games or with their smart phones. But as fall continues into winter and school progresses into the winter session, it’s increasingly important to focus on learning and skill building during this time. With the increase in rainy days and snow days its important to use these opportunities to educate our children!

Here is a great example on how you can build crucial reading skills with your child while keeping them entertained! These reading skills will come in handy not only in school but on many of the different tests children have to take.

Make a word poster! Together with your child, cut out pictures and images from old magazines and newspapers that you have lying around. Then, label them! Depending on your child’s age, you can have them write and spell the words, or you can help them spell and write it out. Come up with silly stories to use these words in. Then, hang it up somewhere prominent in the house!

Another fantastic reading related game to play is “what’s different”. Read a favorite book to your child, but switch a few things around. This also helps improve their listening skills. Tell your children to put on their “listening ears” before you start the story. Maybe change the ending, or some other part of the book. This helps develop not only reading skills, but critical thinking skills as well!

These activities make sure that your child is playing constructively on a rainy day, instead of just sitting and watching tv or playing video games.