How to Help with Reading: A Reading Specialist’s Tips
When is it time to start working on reading skills? Right now.
What’s New
The Interesting Connection between Literacy and Behavior in Children
People are getting more enlightened today with the help of literacy. Without literacy, we wouldn’t be able to shape meaning out of the world. That is why it is so important to continue fighting for the increase of literacy for everyone. In the case of children, literacy isn’t just about understanding things and expressing opinions. … Continued
7 Ways Reading Improves Emotional Intelligence
Here are some of the ways in which reading can improve emotional intelligence in readers of any age.
Multicultural Children’s Book Day 2018
Multicultural Children’s Book Day (1/27/18) is in its 5th year and was founded by Valarie Budayr from Jump Into A Book and Mia Wenjen from PragmaticMom. Its mission is to raise awareness of the ongoing need to include kids’ books that celebrate diversity in home and school bookshelves while also working diligently to get more of these types of books into the hands of young readers, parents and educators.
How Children’s Books Can Change the World: A Father & Author’s Perspective
As the father of 4 wonderful kids, I understand how important it is for them to be outside, burning energy and exploring the world around them. Not to mention, it helps keep the house a little more tidy and gives us parents some time to catch up on our favorite show or book or whatever … Continued
What Educators Want Parents to Know
Educators want parents to prepare their children and teens for school by sharing a love for learning, the attitude that learning more is important, and the expectation that all children can become successful in school. How to do this?
7 Indoor Winter Games and Activities for Kids
We have created the following survival guide featuring 7 indoor winter games and activities for kids to keep them happy and regain a little bit of our sanity
If You’re a Parent and… Holiday Book Tradition, Part 2
There is nothing like the holiday season for connecting and reconnecting us to all kinds of traditions. I wrote a review of our Christmas book collection recently, and for part two, want to share some of the books I read with my daughter about Kwanzaa and Hanukkah, with many thanks to our school and public … Continued
Santa’s Workshop: Delivering Books to Children of Prison Inmates for the Holidays
The CLiF office looked remarkably like Santa’s workshop this week as holiday tunes played in the background
If You’re A Parent And…Books Play a Part in Your Holiday Celebration
There is nothing like the holiday season for connecting and reconnecting us to all kinds of traditions. Everywhere I look there are reminders of past holidays and evolving seasonal activities. These are two of my most favorite Christmas tree ornaments. When my best friend from high school and I moved to Washington, DC, after college, … Continued
General / Book Recommendations
Read Your World: Children’s Books That Celebrate Diversity
With the call for more diverse books in the publishing business, it’s been heartening to see a small uptick in children’s books that reflect the beautiful diversity of the faces we see around us more and more each day. Heeding that call, three women in central Vermont are striving to make folks in their predominantly … Continued
Thank you for sharing the gift of literacy!
We know Thanksgiving was last week, but this week at the Children’s Literacy Foundation (CLiF) we’re feeling pretty darn thankful. We’re thankful for the many generous donors who gave 359 children’s books and dynamic literacy programming to the kids we serve for #GivingTuesday, and all our supporters who have donated so far this year. Your … Continued
The Gift of Reading
“I like how you can go on adventures without even leaving your house. You can travel around the world and learn new things.” That is how a child who attended a Children’s Literacy Foundation Summer Readers event last summer described reading. To him, a book is full of adventures and new things to learn. … Continued
Thank you from the Children’s Literacy Foundation!
As we gather with family and friends this week, we at the Children’s Literacy Foundation (“CLiF”) want to share how thankful we are for so many wonderful partners, supporters, and volunteers, who help us spread the joy of literacy to thousands of low-income, at-risk, and rural children in Vermont and New Hampshire each year. CLiF … Continued
Raising Eco-Conscious Kids
We can all do our parts by making the planet a much safer place—children included!
Tips from a Reading Specialist: How to Help Reluctant and Struggling Readers
Helping reluctant and struggling readers may be the hardest, but perhaps the most important, reading-related issue for many parents. However, take comfort that there is help!
Baby Time! Taking Advantage of Your Local Library’s Resources
Photo: A baby developing early literacy skills at the CLiF table at Burlington Parks & Rec’s annual Kids Day, May 2017 Yesterday, I got to spend my morning surrounded by adorable babies singing songs, flipping through board books, and playing along with their parents at Fletcher Free Library in Burlington, VT’s weekly baby time. Talk about … Continued
Walk in Their Little Shoes: Understanding Your Child’s Point of View
In order to cater to their needs and create a powerful bond, it’s important for parents to really think like their children and take their perspective into consideration.