How to grow readers

My kids LOVE books.  I mean LOVE books!  It's everything this mama has dreamed of! :)  Here's my recipe for growing life-long readers:

1. Start early (or eary-ish is Charlie's case . . . poor second child!)

2. Fill your house with QUALITY literature

3. Visit your library on a regular basis

4. Make reading part of your daily routine

5. Read EVERYTHING (street signs, cereal boxes, letters, grocery lists, etc.) with your child

(Okay, I could go on and on . . . it's the teacher in me.  But I'll stop because I'm getting a little bossy.)

Henry has now played out different stories we've read when playing with is animals.  He's making connections from one book to another as well as from books to his own little world.  He's always asking me, "What do these letters say, mom?" All signs of a lover of books and words!  WAHOO!!

Charlie has a favorite book.  It's called But Not the Hippopotamus by Sandra Boynton.  He giggles on the last page every time we read it as if he knows the humor (who knows, maybe he does!!!).  We read three books before his naps and bedtime.  As soon as I put the third book down, he automatically squirms in my lap and tries to read down for another one.  That kid would sit in my lap for hours and listen to books before he goes to sleep! 

If I'm doing anything right as a mom to Henry and Charlie, it is giving them a love of reading.