Planning a Kids' Reading Party
Introducing the Progressive Page-Turning Party
It's a progressive dinner with a literary twist and sure to be a hit with your kids and their pals - the Progressive Page-Turning Party will promote passionate readers.
According to a 2005 report by the Kaiser Family Foundation the average young person spends approximately three hours glued to the television, while he or she spends only 43 minutes reading. (Generation M: Media in the Lives of 8-18 Year-olds; The Kaiser Foundation) The devastating effects of this trend can be seen in childhood obesity reports on the evening news, as well as on student report cards. What can parents and other concerned adults do to encourage kids to read a story instead of watching it?
How many kids do you know that don’t love a party? If you want to foster a love of literature in children, throw them a Progressive Page-Turning Party.
The Party Plan
Most have experienced progressive dinners through church or civic organizations, where a group visits a series of houses and enjoys one course of a meal at each stop. The Progressive Page-Turning Party operates under the same premise. Adult volunteers work together to host the event, which is perfect for a neighborhood or church activity, a birthday party theme or a home school co-op project.
After the prospective guests have been invited, you should select an age-appropriate book, which will be read in stages at each individual house. Younger children will enjoy hearing a page or two of a storybook at each stop, while a short chapter book will work well for older kids, with each host reading a chapter.
To make the event even more fun, each host should serve a special snack and/or plan a fun activity that relates to the book being read. For example, if the party’s chosen book is How I Became a Pirate, by Melinda Long, [Harcourt, Inc., 2003] the host should consider providing gold foil-wrapped chocolate coins as a treat and leading the children in a treasure hunt to find them. Of course, hosts can make their part of the story as simple or as elaborate as they wish. However, hosts should put forth a similar amount of effort in order to avoid one stop being hailed as either superior or inferior to others.
Points to Ponder for the Person in Charge
Carefully consider:
- Logistics – Where will your party begin and end? Into how many groups will you need to divide the children?
- Transportation – How many drivers and vehicles do you need? Could your party walk?
- Chaperones – You’ll need at least one adult for every five children.
- Communication – Make sure each of your hosts and chaperones knows his/her role and has a copy of the book your party will hear.
In conclusion, the Progressive Page-Turning Party is a great way to foster enthusiastic reading in children. It also brings community members, neighbors and co-workers together for a common purpose, providing opportunities to develop relationships. With careful planning, a positive attitude and a great group of kids you will turn the page in a new chapter of literacy.
