Introduction

National reading experts for President Clinton's AMERICA READS CHALLENGE: Read*Write*Now! initiative developed Activities for Reading and Writing Fun. This booklet has been specially prepared to provide ideas for families, teachers, librarians, and other learning partners to use with all children -- including those with disabilities -- to help them read well and independently by the end of the third grade. The booklet also includes activities to help improve children's reading and writing skills through sixth grade.

Reading research has shown that reading just 30 minutes a day with or to a child significantly increases that child's reading ability. To meet the AMERICA READS CHALLENGE we encourage you to invite your own child or a child in your community to read five days a week for 30 minutes each day. On one of those days, you can be a learning partner by reading with or to your young reader for at least 30 minutes. Pick a place where you can meet. If the child is not your own, meet in a safe place agreeable to your young reader's family a library, youth facility, church, or school. Take your reader to the library to get a library card and ask your reader to choose books to read. After you read with or to your young reader, choose one activity from this activities booklet to do with the child.

The activities in this booklet are presented in three sections: "Early Years" for infants and preschoolers, "Beginning to Read" for children through grade two, and "Encouraging the Young Reader" for older children through grade six. When you use these activities, you are developing in young children a love of reading and writing. It is less important for the child to get every word exactly right than it is to enjoy the experience. If he or she finishes one book and asks for another, you know you are succeeding! If the child writes even once a week and comes back for more, you know you are accomplishing your goal.

We wish you many wonderful hours of reading and writing with young children!