Building a Book Collection for Children
Five Inexpensive Ways for Parents to Start a Home Library for Kids
Educational researchers agree that access to books is one of the most important ways to ensure that a child makes gains in reading skills and becomes a lifelong reader. A bookshelf in the corner of a child’s room is the ideal place to house favorite titles. A comfy chair or oversized pillow near the collection can become a “book nest” where a young reader can curl up and get lost in the magic of pictures and print.
Gifts for Special Occasions
Holidays and birthdays are a great time to increase the number of titles on a child’s bookshelf. Relatives and friends often ask, “Can you give me a suggestion for a gift?” Parents can have a handy list of titles ready for just such an opportunity. If specific titles are not available, current topics of interest to the child can also help the buyer zero in on an appropriate book about dinosaurs, birds, fairy tale, trucks—whatever.
Neighborhood Sales
Parents can find gently used books at yard sales and garage sales. Sometimes local libraries encourage patrons to donate books and in turn, the library sells them to raise money for projects. Browsing titles can be fun for children, as well as adults. Because books at these sales cost only a fraction of the amount paid in stores, it is an economical way to accumulate several titles at a reasonable price.
Online Freebies
Some websites offer books that parents can download and print. If the child enjoys the selections, these printouts could be bound into a more permanent format so that they become an attractive addition to the bookshelf. One popular site, Best Books for Children, gives free access for downloads. Similar sites offer free sample books to download and unlimited choice of titles after that for a yearly subscription fee.
Swap-O-Rama
Just as children outgrow toys, they may become disinterested in some titles. Rather than discarding the books, participating in a book swap may be a solution. Some schools or merchants may sponsor a “swap bin” which allows locals to exchange a book in good condition for another of similar value. Neighborhood parents could initiate a "book exchange day" on their own. The swap solution is a good way to weed out bookshelf clutter and renew interest in the library corner.
Creative Activity
At every age, children delight in writing their own stories. Even the very young child can dictate stories to an adult who prints or types them for the child. After the story is reproduced, the child can illustrate it with his or her own drawings. Securing the story pages into a folder or binder available at office supply stores, gives the young author a sense of pride in his creation. With little guidance, older children can take on the project themselves.
The importance of availability of reading material in the home cannot be overemphasized. Whether books are purchased, received as gifts, swapped, or created, fostering ownership of print materials and maintaining an area for reading is one of the key factors in helping a child on the road to literacy. Start building that home library today! .
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