Six Places We Always Keep Books

March 27, 2017/4 Comments/in Home School /by Raechel

I can narrow my homeschool goals down to three things that I want most for my children. Number one, is a relationship with Christ that bears fruits of righteous living. Number two, is a strong appetite and aptitude for reading. Number three is gaining a vast array of handi-crafts or trades. That’s it! If I can accomplish these three things I will feel as though I have done my job.We can talk about the other two later, but this post is about the second goal. I’m convinced that a child with a voracious appetite for reading, and the ability, can learn anything. All the greatest minds and ideas in the world are in books. Books are our avenue to car mechanic, Greek philosophy, zoology etc.! Books are the means at which we gather knowledge. Books are important. I want our lives to be immersed in them and our family culture to be built around them. I’ve given thought to how I’m encouraging our family culture around books and would like to share them with you!

Here are 6 places we always keep books:

1) living space-

In the most predominant room in the house, books are predominant too. We show what we value by where we place them. In the busiest room in the house books are more likely to get picked up, especially if you sit down and grab one. A simple basket can be a beautiful and inviting display. The best invitation is to turn off the TV.

2) beds-

Before nap and bedtime I crawl into the girls bed and read a picture book, a chapter from our chapter book, or mother goose nursery rhymes. They lay in bed and read to themselves before they fall asleep (they are pre-readers so they read the pictures or read from memory). They feel like they are pushing back bedtime and I feel good about why! It’s a win/win!3) dining room table-

Bible for breakfast and Fables for dinner! We feed our minds and bodies at meal time, with the exception of lunch which is their one time a day to watch a show. With full mouths and bottoms in chairs this is one of the best times to get a read-aloud in.
4) devices-

The Audible app has become a dear friend. We have access to all the greatest classic read-aloud by theatrical linguists. On an iPad or smartphone these dear stories can come with us everywhere!

I feel a little tricky I admit, but I have to share the best trick I’ve done with audio books. My girls listen to classics on the iPad during nap and before bedtime some days. Because they’ve never done anything else on devices, they think it’s the best thing ever. They feel as though they are getting screen time (while pushing back bedtime) and I’m in the kitchen dancing because they are listening to Ann Hathaway! I’m tricky😆5) play and discover areas-

Nature table, block section, art cart, animal bin- these are all great places to add a book for reference. Most children pick them up immediately and ask questions, and some children like mine, are interested once I pick it up and start perusing. 6) bags for on the go-

Before we go outside-or to the park-or coffee shop I grab a few favorite picture books/our chapter book AND a book or two of mine. There’s a chance one will sit down with me and share moments in a good story. And at the very least (or maybe very most) I grab one of mine and dive in. I read in front of them almost every day, out of my own book, so that they see its prominence in my life.So… pretty much everywhere, there’s a book or two or ten. Any chance for an opportunity to share in literature together, that’s what I’m after in these early years of homeschooling!