Here are some helpful tips to keep your kids reading:

1. Visit the Local Library Regularly

We have a new Rotterdam branch library on Westcott Road that is awesome. It is also worth a trip to the Schenectady Public Library downtown on Liberty Street, they have a great children's section.

2. Find Books on Tape

For those reluctant readers, books on tape can be just the answer. Many of the newest children's books are on tape and available for loan. Also, a book on tape can give struggling students a sense of accomplishment in that they too are able to complete popular books. Books on tape also allow a struggling reader to follow along in the book thereby seeing and hearing the words as they are read.

3. Read to Each Other

You might think that they are too old to enjoy being read to but surprisingly enough, middle school aged children still enjoy a good story. Start with some short stories like those found in Chicken Soup for the Teenage Soul or some short mysteries or sports stories then move on to a novel that you select together. Your local librarian can help you select suitable materials. This time spent together reading will not soon be forgotten.Younger children in the family? What a great opportunity to get everyone involved in reading. Have the older siblings read to the younger ones. This gives the reader practice and allows the younger children to enjoy listening to their favorite books read aloud.

4. Turn Off the Television

Try to turn off your T.V. for one week. Sounds tough? Not if you have lots of activities planned. Try a trip to the library to research historic local sites then plan a day of sightseeing. A great place to start is the historic Stockade District downtown. There you will find a super museum filled with interesting facts about our area. If that is not enough to keep you interested, there is a genealogy library behind the Historical Society Building. Find out about your family's background. Wow, what a great family activity. Research shows that kids who spend as little as 30 minutes per day reading books, magazines, and newspapers are more likely to become good readers and do better in school.

5. Create a "Reading Time"

Set aside a time when you and your children can read every day and stick to that time. Soon it will become a habit and a family ritual. It would be a good idea to turn off the television at that time as well.