7 Habits To Foster A Love of Reading in Kids {+ DGMyStory Sweepstakes}

This shop has been compensated by Collective Bias, Inc. and its advertiser. All opinions are mine alone. #MyLiteracyStory #DGMyStoryEntry #CollectiveBias

As the weather continues to cool, there is nothing like wrapping up in a warm blanket and reading a great book, right? Literacy is one of my passion causes, and I am always looking for ways to encourage my children to read and get interested in books.

Like I always tell my kids, if you can read well, you can do ANYTHING.

I’m excited to partner with Kellogg’s®, a proud sponsor of the Dollar General Literacy Foundation. Every day, Kellogg employees work together to fulfill our vision of enriching and delighting the world through foods and brands that matter.

The foundation is celebrating more than 20 years of helping individuals learn to read, prepare for their high school equivalency, or learn English. And since its inception, the Foundation has awarded more than $140 million to nonprofit organizations and schools that have helped more than 9 million individuals advance their literacy and basic education skills.

How awesome is that?!

Hover over the image above to shop the Kellogg’s Line of cereals including Kellogg’s Frosted Bite-Size Mini-Wheats®, Kellogg’s® Froot Loops®, Kellogg’s® Rice Krispies® and Kellogg’s Frosted Flakes® available at Dollar General.

7 Habits To Foster A Love of Reading in Kids

Unfortunately, a love of books doesn’t always come natural for all kids and it’s definitely something parents must make an effort with. These are 7 habits have in our home to help foster a love of reading.

Parents: Read — and let your kids see you do it

My husband and I are always reading a book, and we are sure to let our kids see us reading for pleasure. I am always reminding my kids that I’ve learned so much about people and different cultures through books. Reading makes the world feel like a smaller place.

Look For Letters and Words EVERYWHERE

We are definitely not a screen-free home, but there are a few spots I prefer to *not* use them. One place is the grocery store. There are SO many learning opportunities there! My kids love weighing produce and seeing what number comes up, and playing “eye spy” with letters. My 7-year-old can now read labels back to me, or read signs. It’s great practice.

Make Reading FUN

When I read books about colors to my preschooler, we try to make it interactive so he can practice colors and numbers. This is so easy to do with snacks, too.

Froot Loops® Cereal is perfect for this activity!

Library Time

We try to go to the library once every few weeks. Not only is it an amazing place to meet friends to play and pick out books, but it’s great for movies, computer practice, FREE fun events, and more. For early readers, it’s the perfect place to find leveled readers, too. If you aren’t taking advantage of your local library, you are missing out!

Read Together

This seems like a no-brainer, but it’s not always easy to squeeze in with busy schedules. We do our best to make the time to read to our children every night. Our kids are all at different levels, but it doesn’t matter — it’s not about the type of books as much as it is just the act of being together and having a consistent nighttime routine.

Buy The Books Your Kids Want

The more types of reading materials there are in the home, the higher students are in reading proficiency, according to the Educational Testing Service. {source}

When I read this before my children were born, I decided to make it my mission to have books in every room.

So for birthdays and holidays, I try to get my children at least one new book. But there’s a caveat: I always look for a topic I know they will love. If your child prefers graphic novels or comics, buy them! Any kind of reading material is good material.

I collect books everywhere we go — used book sales, garage sales, Salvation Army, and book shops. Books are truly the gift that keeps on giving!

Rotate Your Books

For each season or holiday, find corresponding books to match the theme. Then, put them away for the year so that they remain untouched until the following year. It’s a good way to build memories surrounding certain books, and a great way to see how a child’s reading level progresses.

Share Your Literacy Story

Do you have a story how literacy has impacted your life? Share it and enter the #DGMyStory Sweepstakes HERE. Make sure to use the hashtag #DGMyStoryEntry for a chance to win a $50 Dollar General gift card, too.

Look for specially marked Kellogg’s cereals at your local Dollar General in the breakfast aisle.