A Challenge and a Home Library to Foster a Love of Reading

Is there a part of your day that is always a highlight? Something that you can count on to bring joy to even a bummer of a day? For me, no matter how much of a bust the day becomes, cuddling up with my boys and a couple of good books always adds a silver lining to the day, and Kellogg’s is helping families build their home libraries so we can all foster a love of reading with our kids.

Every night, after brushing their teeth and before they crawl into bed, the boys and I sit on the floor in their room and read together. They each pick out one book, sometimes two if we have a few extra minutes, and they sit next to me or on my lap while I read to them.

We only read for 15 or 20 minutes, but it’s such a highlight of my day, and I think the boys really love it too.

We mix picture books and chapter books, depending on what the boys want to read. We always have a stash of library books, and we’ve been building up our home library over the last couple of years. Without breaking the bank, we have slowly acquired a nice collection of books from which the boys can choose to read before bed (or really anytime during the day).

Build Your Home Library with Kellogg’s and Scholastic

Books can pretty pricey, especially children’s picture books. There are many ways, however, to affordably find books to build your home library. Recently, I learned that Kellogg’s is sponsoring a reading program this back-to-school season. We found out about this program from my mother-in-law. She sent us the receipt from a recent qualifying Kellogg’s purchase she made and let us choose a new book to add to our home library collection. We are currently waiting to receive it!

With the purchase of certain of their back-to-school products, like Cheez-It®, Fruit Snacks, Nutri-Grain® Bars, and Famous Amos, you can receive a free Scholastic book. After purchase of any participating Kellogg’s products by September 30, 2018, snap a picture of your receipt and upload it to the Kellogg’s Family Rewards Feeding Reading site within 30 days of purchase. On the site, you can find additional details about the program and choose the book you would like to receive. You can get up to 10 books before December 18, 2018.

Choose To Donate Your Free Book

Last week we stopped at Target to pick up a few things. Like all good Target trips, a few things turned into a basket full of things including Kellogg’s Nutri-Grain® Bars and a Cheez-It® Variety Caddy Pack. Purchase of both of these items gave us the opportunity to select an additional book from the Kellogg’s free book program.

Because we had already chosen one book for our home library, we decided to donate the two we earned from these purchases. The boys and I sat down together, entered the code on screen, and I let them decide which books they thought other little boys their age would want to receive.

Books All Around to Encourage Reading

Having a home library definitely isn’t necessary. You know I’m a big fan of libraries. I even sit on the Board of my local library. I do, however, think it’s really nice to have a set of favorites available at home to which the boys can come back regularly and that is available if we don’t have time to get to the library in a particular week.

A few months ago, just as T was on the cusp of learning to read, I wanted to help him get over the hump of learning to sound out words. We set up a challenge for the boys to read at least 10 minutes everyday for at least 25 of the 31 days in the month. If they succeeded, we would take them out to ice cream.

To track their progress, each of the boys made a reading chart out of construction paper squares and stars. Each night after reading for 10 minutes, they added a star to their chart.

The chart and 10 minute intervals proved just what we needed. The incentive and finite time made him just willing enough to stick out the struggle through the new words. Without a timer, he got a little frustrated or tired and wanted to give up right away. The timer gave him an achievable goal and a sense of accomplishment (that’s shorter than a whole book). Successfully completing his ten minutes each day also left him with a shy and sweet smile after every session. He did awesome, and I reminded him of that every day.

This made me so proud to see his reading skills flourish, and it also made him so happy (which lights me up too).

Reading together with my boys is such a perfect way to connect with them. It offers a common ground for conversation about the stories. It gives us a medium through which to discuss difficult topics, depending on the content of the book. And it’s just the perfect way to end the day together.

If you’re looking for ways to build your home library and create opportunities for sweet moments with your kids, definitely check out the Kellogg’s free book program this back-to-school season. Even if you already have a full home library, submit your receipt and donate the book to a child who doesn’t have their own at home library collection.