Creating a Reading Environment at Home (continued)

• Find a special place for books. If your child's room doesn't have a bookshelf or bookcase, use a box, basket, or other sturdy container. Plastic stacking cubes work well.
• As often as possible, let your children choose the books they want to add to their collection. A book-buying trip to a yard sale or bookstore is a fun Saturday activity.
• Take your children to the library regularly. Even a child with a well-stocked bookshelf needs a fresh supply of books. Encourage children to treat library books with the same care they show their own.
• Give your children books or magazine subscriptions as gifts.
• For babies and young toddlers, choose sturdy books that will survive rough handling. Board books, for example, have thick pages that can be turned easily and wiped clean.

Limit Television, Computers, and Video Games

For generations, education experts have been sounding the alarm about the harmful effects of too much television. The rise in popularity of the Internet and computer and video games only adds to the din of distractions pulling children away from more literary pursuits. While excellent educational programs and software exist, consumption of electronic media must be kept in check by parents. Limit children's television and computer use to make time for other activities, such as reading. Try not to use television and computers as rewards for reading (or denying them as punishment for not).