Printable Bookmarks Two Ways
Monique of Green Acorns is with us today to share useful bookmark printables to inspire the young readers in our lives…
There have been so many lovely book lists recommended here at Playful Learning, it’s clear that we all share the desire to instill a love of reading in our children and that our children do enjoy books, whether they’re reading to themselves or being read to.
In raising life-long readers, it’s important that children comprehend and can interpret what is being read, that they feel a connection with the stories and are engaged, and that they can respond in meaningful ways. Having three children ages five, eight, and ten, who love to read, there’s a range of reading skills to be mindful of in our household. Perhaps it’s similar in your home.
My oldest spends a lot of time reading on her own and, knowing that she has strong skills, it’s easy to leave it at that. She just about devours books, however, and I feel it’s important to have her pause occasionally and spend some time reflecting on what she’s just read. My middle child also has strong reading skills but as his book selections become more advanced I want to make sure what he’s reading is still a good fit for him. I also want him to practice summarizing what he’s read in his own words. And my youngest… she’s SO eager to read and wants to read chapter books on her own just like her big brother and sister. We’re currently reading the Little House series with her and she will often get out the book and “read” ahead on her own. She clearly wants to feel independent with her reading.
While reading with children, it’s a good practice to stop occasionally and ask questions and make meaningful connections (that reminds me of… remember earlier in the story… etc.). Sometimes, though, when life gets hectic, it easy to forget to check in and just keep on going. A tool that I have found helpful for keeping up with check-ins is a sort of “reader’s response” bookmark. This bookmark has questions right on it to ask after reading and serves as a reminder for me and my children to take time to review and summarize what has been read (the questions can be simplified for younger readers).
I also noticed, with my daughters especially, that when they pick up their books for reading the next time, they are scouring the page to find where they left off. My youngest just chooses a random spot. My oldest, carefree and ever industrious, will leave off right in the middle of a paragraph. So, I created a book mark with an adjustable indicator. When they open their books, they can clearly see where they left off last time. As all my children usually have more than one book going at a time, both bookmarks get well used.
Whatever stage your reader is at and whatever their style, I hope one or both of the bookmarks will be as helpful to you and your children as they have been for us.
Click here to download bookmarks. Print and follow directions to assemble and use!
