You might want to start a “My Very First Family Book Club.” It’s just like the ones you’re familiar with, but better.

Getting the Club off the ground:

• Who will belong? You and your child. Siblings, friends or other family members are also welcome.
• How often will you meet? Every day. You can schedule time in the mornings or at bedtime or meet during daily activities. Bring books on errands or simply read signs on the street or labels at the store.
• Who chooses the books? You provide the books, and your child gets to pick. Offer a selection that is age-appropriate (board books, flap-books, nursery rhymes, etc.) and attention-grabbing (books on dinosaurs, trains, princesses or anything else that interests your child).

Making it Interactive: For My Very First Family Book Club, participation is the name of the game. As your child grows, you can encourage his involvement in reading by having him:

• Point to the pictures. Ask your child to identify an object on a page. Make it into a game. You describe the picture and see if your child can find it.
• Touch the book and turn the pages. Talk with your child about how the pages or specific pictures feel and allow her to turn the pages at her own pace.
• Help you tell the story. Leave out words to well known stories so your child can fill them in. Or, ask him to guess what will happen next.

The best part of My Very First Family Book Club is that reading is a wonderful way to spend time together. Not to mention that you can wear pajamas and pick the snack.  And you’ll really love the other members of the group.

Special thanks to Kathy Hirsh-Pasek, PhD, Robert Needlman, MD, and Nina Sazer O’Donnell for the generous donation of their valuable time and expertise in reviewing this edition of Bits of Understanding.

Civitas thanks Parents as Teachers, an international early childhood parent education and family support program, for their ongoing support. This Civitas tool was adapted for the Born Learning campaign. © 2006 Civitas