COZY WINTER READING
Winter is the time of year when all you want to do is cozy up by the fire with hot cocoa and a good book. The cooler weather brings us indoors and it provides a great opportunity for bonding over some great books. Some of the benefits of reading with your child are that it increases their vocabulary, grows language skills, sparks curiosity, and teaches social skills; by reading more and more to your child.
You can also increase their attention span, and continue to develop their problem-solving ability. You can take turns as well and have them attempt to read their favorite stories. This is important as it leads to help boost their self-confidence in their reading and language skills. Reading even just one book before bedtime is a great routine to help improve your child’s nighttime sleep routine. Some of our favorite books to read during winter are The Snowy Nap, Grumpy Badgers Christmas, and The Reindeer Wish.
The Snowy Nap by Jan Brett is a beautiful story about a hedgehog named Hedgie. He decides to stay up for the winter so he doesn’t miss any of the winter activities. However, when a snowstorm starts Lisa finds hedgie and brings him to her home. Hedgie gets to see the wonders of winter from inside the cozy house. We love this story because it is a story about perseverance, compassion, and friendship.
Grumpy Badger's Christmas is a story about a badger that only wants to get some sleep during the winter. Every time he tries, however, his neighbors keep waking him up. In the end the grumpy badger realizes even though he is tired it’s better to share the holidays with others. He throws a big party and all his animal friends enjoy all of his tasty treats.
This story is great for our little ones because it helps them focus on listening to what people are saying. In the case of the grumpy badger, he was so tired and upset that he almost didn’t help a friend in need. Listening, and being patient are key skills for any child and we feel this is a great option to share that with our little ones.
The Reindeer Wish follows the story of a young girl named Anja and her life growing up far in the north. Suddenly one day she is led to a baby reindeer that she names Odin. The story continues on to show how Odin and Anja grow and play together. However, as Odin gets bigger Anja realizes he is meant for something more. We love this story because of how it shows Odin's growth as a reindeer but Anja's
compassion and love are seen throughout.
I hope you will find time this Holiday season to slow down and enjoy a few books with your little ones.
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Ofelia
ABOUT OFELIA from TEACHING O AND A
I was born in Romania but always wanted to travel and learn about different cultures. I ended up in Spain teaching ESL to children, then went to Mexico and Canada where I worked as a ESL teacher as well. Having earned a bachelor's degree in Education I have always felt the need to always be prepared, to always learn so I can pass all the knowledge to my children. I have 2 boys whom I have been homeschooling for 4 years now. I love teaching, languages and photography.
I'm constantly learning and trying to better myself as I believe we should never stop "crafting" the best version of ourselves.
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