February is "Library Lover's Month" and a great opportunity to celebrate all things reading! 💗  📖  💗   We're all for fostering a love of reading in our kids. Confession: it took me a really long time (like a really long time) to add a visit to our local library to our list of family activities. But once we did, we were hooked! If you're looking for reasons to go, or curious how to approach a visit, we've got a few tips:

1. Do an "intro" trip where you get familiar with the library. Get your card, walk around, ask for help! While we roam the book stacks, we love asking our kids questions about what they are seeing. "Why do you think it's important to have a library?" or "What do you notice about how they have the books organized?" We wrap up the trip with each of us checking out books we've selected.

For another great resource, our friend Macquel at @coloradowithkiddos did a series of posts on visiting her local libraries. Check them out on Instagram!

2. Go back for story time. This activity is such a great way to break up the day, especially with little ones, especially on a day where the weather necessitates indoor activities! It's also a great way to branch out into new books and to meet other families.

3. Check out other activities. Many libraries have monthly reading themes, seasonal events, special guests, etc. Be sure to grab a calendar and see what's offered!

4. Create a "reading spot" in the house to cozy up with books. This tip has been so key to fostering a love of reading in our home. Reading is more than just reading when the kids are cozied up with a soft spot, blanket, a reading "pal" (stuffed animal), and mug of milk or warm drink.

5. Make a reading chart. Some kids are motivated by tracking their progress. We love the idea of a reading chart that helps us all align on a family reading goal for the month. We've got our free Wanderwild Family Reading Chart printable available on the website!

 Happy reading, Wanderwild families!

~Kelly