Making Time for Reading Strategies for Weaving Reading into the Fabric of Our Busy Lives Every Day

*right before or after doing homework It helps to have one or preferably a few predictable times every day when we read so that it becomes a routine, a habit. *in the morning *right before or after doing homework *just before or just after dinner *after practice *before bed

Sometimes it helps NOT to save reading for last, when we are tired and might fall asleep.

We can create our own reading schedule or calendar, and plan out the times we’re going to read in advance.

Before we read, we can look over the chapters and plan our progress through a book. "If I read three chapters a day, I'll be done by Sunday," we can say and aim for that.

If we're in the habit of just reading little bits of a book at one sitting, we can set goals for how far to read each time. Mark a place in the book and try to read up to that point before taking a break.

Ask our family to help us make time for reading.

Plan a Family Reading Time every day in which everyone in the family gets together to read their books in the same room.

Read while we're waiting... *...in the waiting room at the dentist or doctor's office. *…at our sister’s soccer practice. *...for the bus. *...for our cookies to finish baking.

When we’ve got some free time and we’re deciding what to do, we can remind ourselves how much fun and how important reading is. Then we can make it a priority, choosing to read instead of watching television or playing videogames or going on the computer.

Read when we're going to places. *in the car *on the bus *on the train *in an airplane

Use reading as a way to take a break from some other activity.

Read the same books as other people, preferably at the same time Read the same books as other people, preferably at the same time. Often we are motivated to read more when we know we will have a chance to talk about our thoughts with someone else who is reading the same books.

Find a way to put extra books in places where we may need them just in case (the car, and Grandma's house, etc.).

Make this our #1 priority: To search hard to find books we love, To keep lists of books we’re hoping to read, To gather up the books in advance and stack them in a handy place. When we love the books we're reading, we will be more likely to make time to keep reading them.

Create a "book sack" and bring our books and reading materials with us everywhere we go.