Does your child prefer to read alone, with family members, or in the company of friends? With these ideas, they can do all three this winter.

Choose themes

Encourage your child to read more by coming up with wintry themes for choosing books. For example, they might name “ice-skating” or “penguins” and pick out a biography of an Olympic skater or an adventure tale set in Antarctica. After they finish each book, they can write the title on a paper snowflake and tape it to a wall. How many snowflakes can they hang up?

Discuss poetry

On a snowy day or any day read winter poetry together. Get a volume like It’s Snowing! It’s Snowing! (Jack Prelutsky) or Winter Bees & Other Poems of the Cold (Joyce Sidman). Boost your youngster’s reading comprehension by talking about the poet’s word choices. Why did Prelutsky write “the air is a silvery blur”? What did Sidman mean by “the sun’s pale wafer”?

Read with friends

Your child can see friends over winter break and practice reading at the same time by forming a book club. They might pick a chapter book to read, then meet to discuss it and enjoy a related snack, craft, or game. Or they could each bring a different picture book and take turns reading aloud. Suggest that they keep their club going all year long.