View, Do and Read

Adults can help turn kids on to reading
By Kate Cleveland Between The Lions

Each month in View, Do and Read we offer ways to connect television viewing to good children's books.

Research shows that early reading experiences have a great impact on the development of literacy skills. Children who are read to from an early age begin school more prepared to learn than those who have not had books read to them.

Reading aloud creates a strong connection between an adult and a child. Between the Lions and Reading Rainbow are two programs on WHYY TV12 that place a particular emphasis on reading. They can spark your child's interest in reading and provide you with some great ideas for books and literacy activities.

View
The library on Between the Lions is a magical place where characters pop off the pages of books, vowels sing and words take on a life of their own. Weekdays at 10:30 a.m.

For almost 20 years, Reading Rainbow host Levar Burton has introduced kids to the joys of reading and some of the best books available. Weekdays at 2:30 p.m.

Do
A Book About Me Get your child involved with reading books by making a book about your child.

What You'll Need:

Construction paper or cardstock
Hole punch and metal rings or yarn
Markers or crayons
Camera
Glue

Instructions: Create a book about your child's own experiences. Take photographs of your child engaged in a favorite activity, on a trip or during his daily routine. With your child, put the photos in order and glue each to a page.

Ask the child to describe what is happening in each photo and write his words underneath them. Older children can do the writing themselves. Don't forget to create a cover with the title and author's name! Punch holes in the top or side of the book and use the rings or yarn to hold the book together.

Words of Our Own Wordless picture books offer a great opportunity to build vocabulary and develop understanding of a story.

What You'll Need:
A wordless picture book. Try one of the following or ask your local librarian for a recommendation:

Tabby by Aliki
Do You Want to Be My Friend? by Eric Carle
Changes, Changes by Pat Hutchins
Early Morning in the Barn by Nancy Tafuri
Deep in the Forest by Brinton Turkle

Instructions: First, flip through the book with your child and ask what she notices. Point out the lack of words, if necessary, and discuss the way illustrations can tell a story. Ask your child to make up her own words to the story.

Read
Each of these books has been named a 2001 Notable Children's Book by the American Library Association:

Click, Clack, Moo: Cows That Type by Doreen Cronin; illustrated by Betsy Lewin Chaos ensues when Farmer Brown's cows find an old typewriter in the barn. A simple request for an electric blanket leads to much argument and discussion in this hilarious tale of communication and compromise. For 5 to 8 year olds.

How Do Dinosaurs Say Good Night? by Jane Yolen; illustrated by Mark Teague It seems that young dinosaurs, much like young humans, sometimes have difficulty getting ready for bed. The rhyming text makes this a sure-fire winner as a read-aloud. Little ones will giggle as they see the huge dinosaurs engaged in bedtime rituals similar to their own. For ages 3 to 7.

Wemberly Worried written and illustrated by Kevin Henkes Poor Wemberly worries about everything -- big things, little things and in-between things. Most of all she worries about going to school, but an understanding teacher and a new friend help ease the transition. A perfect book for those with a few worries of their own. For ages 4 to 8.

Kate Cleveland is WHYY's Children's Services manager.