Reader Maps

I love it when parents' extend an activity, like reading, into other things, like writing stories. Scribbit took it one step further.

In second grade Spencer was having difficulty reading. Books didn’t interest him and he didn’t want to expend the energy to get past the one-word-at-a-time phase that was holding him back.

I knew of Tony Abbott’s fantasy series The Secrets of Droon and came up with an activity for Spencer and his best friend. I bought a yard of canvas, hemmed the edges, folded it in half, rolled it into a tube and tied it with a leather lace. Presenting it to Spencer with a copy of the first book, I proposed that as the boys read the series they could use permanent markers to create a map of Droon on the canvas.

This is one of the numerous activities that I recall from my Kiddie Lit course. I'm thrilled to see a real life experience, and to be reminded of it. I have my own reluctant reader (gasp!) and can't wait to do this with him.