Unwrap the Magic: 10 Holiday Reading and Writing Activities for Kids to Spark Joy

1. Holiday-Themed Story Time:

• Choose festive and holiday-themed books to read together. This can include stories about winter, Christmas, Hanukkah, Kwanzaa, or any other holiday your family celebrates.

2. Family Reading Night:

• Designate one evening a week as "family reading night." Everyone in the family can choose a book, and you can take turns reading aloud or silently together.

3. Cookbook Reading and Baking:

• Select a child-friendly cookbook with simple recipes. Read the recipes together, discuss the ingredients, and then bake some holiday treats as a family.

4. Act Out Stories:

• Choose a favorite holiday story and encourage your child to act it out. This can involve creating simple costumes, using props, and even recording a little performance.

5. Library Visit and Book Exchange:

• Take a trip to the local library. Allow your child to explore and choose books that interest them. Many libraries also have holiday-themed events during the season.

6. Storytelling Through Art:

• Combine reading with artistic expression. After reading a story, have your child create drawings, paintings, or crafts inspired by the characters or events in the book.

7. Holiday Journaling:

• Provide your child with a special holiday-themed journal. Encourage them to write about their favorite holiday memories, traditions, or create a daily journal throughout the holiday season.

8. Holiday Card Making:

• Turn writing into a festive activity by making holiday cards. Your child can write personalized messages inside the cards for friends and family. This combines creativity with the development of writing skills.

9. Thank You Notes:

• After receiving gifts or kindness from others, teach your child the importance of gratitude by writing thank-you notes. This helps develop manners and writing skills simultaneously.

10. New Year's Resolutions:

• As the year comes to an end, encourage your child to reflect on the past year and write down their New Year's resolutions or goals for the upcoming year.

There are so many wonderful ways to engage your kids in reading and writing during the holiday season. I'd love to hear ways you've found to be fun! Email me at TheSuccessfulReaderTutoring@gmail.com.

If your little one is struggling with reading, please give him or her the gift of literacy. I offer free reading assessments to students in need of extra help learning how to read. Click here for more information: https://www.thesuccessfulreadertutoring.com/free-consultation

Embrace the holiday spirit with these festive reading and writing activities, creating a season filled with warmth, connection, and the joy of literacy. Happy holidays to you and your family!

What's All the Fuss About the Science of Reading??

Hey, book buddies! Today, let's talk about the "science of reading," a cool set of research-backed tips on how learning to read happens, especially for our little bookworms.

Phonemic Awareness: Sound Detective

Picture this: breaking down words into tiny sounds. That's phonemic awareness, a super important skill for kids learning to read.

Phonics: Letter Dance

Now, there's phonics, a dance between sounds and letters. Learning this dance is like a secret code that helps kids read better.

Vocabulary: Word Colors

Reading is like an art, and words are the colors. Having lots of different words is like having a big box of crayons. A colorful vocabulary, especially for kids, makes understanding things better.

Fluency: Reading Ballet

Think of reading as a ballet. It's not just reading; it's reading with style. Practicing a lot and getting good guidance helps kids dance through the pages smoothly.

Comprehension Strategies: Reading Detectives

Kids can be reading detectives too! Tricks like predicting what happens, asking questions, and summing up the story help them understand better.

Individual Differences: Everyone's Different

Just like each kid is unique, the science of reading knows they all learn in their own way. Good teaching considers these differences to help every little learner.

Multisensory Learning: Sensory Symphony

Close your eyes and think of reading as a sensory symphony. It's not

just about eyes; it's about ears, hands, and bodies. This helps kids, especially those who find reading a bit tricky.

Evidence-Based Instruction: Strong and Smart Teaching

In our big library of knowledge, strong teaching is like a solid bookshelf. It's about using methods that are proven to work. This way, kids' reading skills have a strong foundation.

So, the science of reading is like a cool map for our little adventurers. It's about building skills like listening to sounds and connecting them to letters. It's also about knowing every kid is different and using smart ways to teach them—from the quick learners to those taking it slow. With the science of reading, let's guide our little ones into the world of books and make learning to read an exciting journey!

If your little learner is struggling to read, I’d love to connect with you!  Drop me a line at TheSuccessfulReaderTutoring@gmail.com .  I help turn struggles into successes!

Does online tutoring actually work???

Can online tutoring really be effective? Don’t you need to be in-person to make it work?!

You might be surprised to find out that online tutoring can actually be MORE effective than in person!

You may have had a terrible experience with virtual schooling during the pandemic. That is true for so many people. To be fair, it was completely new and overwhelming for EVERYONE!

Online tutoring is completely different from what you probably experienced during the pandemic shutdown.

For one thing, online tutors are experts at when they do, and have the right equipment for the job. That makes all the difference in the experience!

There are so many other great advantages to online tutoring!

1. Flexible Timing:

• Online tutoring lets you choose the best time for your child's lessons, making it easier to fit into your family's schedule. No more worrying about conflicting schedules. You don’t have to worry about not being home to make dinner. All you need to do is make sure your child connects with the tutor online. They do the rest.

2. No Travel Needed:

• Your child can learn from home, saving you time and money on travel. Plus, they get to learn in a familiar and comfortable environment. No more sitting someplace for an hour waiting. How many hours have you spent waiting for your child’s activities???

3. Replay Lessons:

• If your child didn't catch something during the lesson, no worries! Online sessions can be recorded, so they can watch it again.

4. Connect with Great Tutors Anywhere:

• Your child can learn from excellent tutors no matter where they are. You have access to a wide range of experienced tutors from around the world. Not only that, but tutoring doesn’t have to stop when you go on vacation. Snow days don’t happen with online tutoring either. There’s no learning loss.

5. Personalized Learning:

• Tutors can make lessons just right for your child, focusing on what they need help with the most. This is where most online tutors shine. For me personally, all my lessons are completely interactive and multisensory. My students are provided with the same materials I use in person, and I guide them through each step one on one. Not only that, but every lesson is written specifically for your child, based on how they did the previous one. My online tutoring is exclusively targeted for your child.

6. Comfortable Learning Environment:

• Your child can learn in a place where they feel most comfortable, which can help reduce any stress or anxiety they might feel about reading. When your child is at home in their surroundings, it’s easier for them to focus. It’s much less disruptive to their lives. Don't you love to work from home and feel much more productive there?

7. Real Connections:

• When you choose online tutoring, you can actually sit in on every lesson to see exactly what your child is learning. You are better able to reinforce their lessons when you know what they’re learning. Not only that, but there is usually time at the end to chat with the online tutor. That time can be limited in person simply because transitions take so much longer.

There are so many advantages to online tutoring. Even so, the most important thing is finding the method that works best for your child. Online tutoring is a fantastic option that has some great benefits.

If you’d like to find out how my online tutoring sessions work, drop me an email at TheSuccessfulReaderTutoring@gmail.com. I’d love to chat!