9 Family Literacy Activities

Do you crave more time together as a family?  Do you wish that your family read more books? Here are nine creative family literacy activities to increase your family reading time!

9 Family Literacy Activities

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#1 Audio Books-

Running errands or traveling to and from school can be a fun time to listen to your favorite audio book.  Check out great picks from the library or use a service such as Audible.

                                                      Try Audible and Get Two Free Audiobooks

We have lots of favorites. —->Favorite Audiobooks for Young Listeners

#2 Family Dinner Book Club-

Family Dinner Book Club is one of my favorite family literacy activities.  Each month, we read a book together and create a themed dinner to compliment the book. 

During dinner talk about the story.  On Growing Book by Book, we share a book, menu, table crafts, conversation starters and a family service project for your family to try. 

We even have a Family Dinner Book Club Facebook page to share other family dinner ideas with participants.

#3 Bedtime Ritual-

Make reading a book or a chapter in a book a family ritual each night before bed.  We let the kids pick 3 books each to have us read.  If my husband and I are super tired, we will split up and each take a child and their books to read in their rooms.  

Choose titles that are calming to help the kids wind down.  Here are some fun titles to get you started.—->Favorite Bedtime Books

#4 Vocabulary Jars- 

What Do We Do All Day? shares how to increase language skills and build vocabulary during breakfast, lunch or dinner with an easy to do vocabulary jar.

Stick it on the table and you are ready to engage with your kids during meals.

#5 Table Topics-

Another idea for the dinner table is to print and cut these conversation starters.  Place them in a bowl on the table and each night pull one to discuss.  We have 365 topics waiting for you!

#6 Game Night-

Many families enjoy a weekly or monthly family game night.  Did you know that there are lots of games that require you to read or build literacy skills?  

Try Apples to Apples Jr. or Bananagrams. 

Or try a homemade game such as our Build a Letter.

#7 Virtual Sharing-

Connect with family members who live far away and include them in your reading fun. 

Skype, Face Time and Google Hangouts are all internet resources to reach families so that you can see and hear each other read and talk about stories.

#8 Family Movie Night-

Do you have a weekly family movie night?  Watch a movie based on a book.  BUT, before you watch the movie commit to reading the book together FIRST.  Here are some book and movie combos.

#9 Go to the Library-

Visit the library together.  Everyone in the family checks out books.  This shows that reading is valued in your family and that it brings pleasure.  Tuesday is our library day.

When you return home, have a book hour when everyone drops everything and reads.  You might even try our library adventure challenge.

Spending time reading together is a wonderful way to bond as a family and build literacy skills!

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