Create a Cozy Reading Spot

I can still remember that day in first grade, when Mrs. Anderson brought a bathtub into our classroom, filled with soft, red pillows and loads of easy readers.  It was an old fashioned, white tub with claw feet – nothing like I had ever seen in our home.  Still, I wonder where she found it and how she managed to bring it to school.  What a fabulous treat it was to take a turn reading in the bathtub.  Two at a time.  We could read with a classmate or friend, while being photographed by all the area newspapers, wanting to take a peek at the Tub Time Readers! 

Often, for students, academic reading is not a source of comfort or pleasure.  Assigned reading by teachers is homework, which purports a negative association.  However, children should experience personal reading time in a place that creates lasting, positive memories, encouraging a lifetime of literary enjoyment.  Winter is perfect for setting up the sleeping bags next to a cozy fireplace, so that the entire family can enjoy a Family Reading Night by the campfire.  Or, pop a tent in the living room and use flashlights for reading an enticing mystery.  Camping Out: A Shadow Story by Lisa Allen and Julie Sharp is an incredibly engaging story that incorporates shadow play into a plot line about camping.  Children use flashlights to help tell the story about an outdoor camping experience where mysterious shapes are misunderstood for simple shadows at play.  Or, taking children to the beach, a lake, pond, botanical garden, or stream with a favorite book will create a sense of relaxation and inner peace.  An internal place that should not be overlooked or underdeveloped.  Take a bike ride down your favorite path, pack a lunch, bring a book, and share an ice cream sundae. 

If you can attain repose and calm, believe that you have seized happiness.

Julie-Jeanne-Eleonore de Lespinasse,