Themed Reading Weeks - Exploring New Worlds with Fun Themes

Organising themed reading weeks at home can make reading more exciting and engaging for your reluctant reader.

Weekly themes should vary and could include a mix of factual, adventure, mystery or classics.  Include books, crafts, and activities that will make story time fun and appeal to your reluctant reader’s likes and hobbies.

The benefits include:

• Increased Engagement

• Broadened Horizons 

• Enhanced Learning

• Improved Routine

• Family Involvement

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Organising a themed reading week can transform story time into an exciting adventure. Each week, explore a new theme with books, crafts, and activities that bring reading to life.

How to plan a fun and engaging themed reading week:

Choose the theme: This could be Adventure Week, Mystery Week or Fantasy Week, just be sure to pick a theme that will interest your reluctant reader.

Choosing books: Depending on the word count, pick two to four books that are related to your chosen theme and are age appropriate for your reader.

Plan activities:

• Crafts: Create themed crafts such as making pirate hats for Adventure Week or designing detective badges for Mystery Week.

• Games: Set up themed games or scavenger hunts based on the books. For example, a treasure hunt for Adventure Week or solving clues for Mystery Week

• Cooking: Prepare simple, theme-related snacks or meals, like dragon cupcakes for Fantasy Week or treasure maps cookies for Adventure Week.

Create a schedule: This will vary from family to family and whether your reluctant reader is at school or nursery. Remember reading and activities can be split throughout the day. You don’t need to find the time to fit it all in at once. It might even benefit your reluctant reader’s attention span if you have a break.

Keep a journal: Take photos of crafts and activities to create a digital album or create a scrapbook. Or record activities in a notebook.

Following these steps can turn reading week into a fun and engaging experience that your child will look forward to.

Call to Action

Themed reading weeks can be great fun for all the family, but they do take a bit of organising. If work and family life is busy, then it can be better to opt for one themed reading week every month, or even two months. That way they become a treat, something your reluctant reader can look forward to while at the same time, giving you time to plan.

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