Reading Chains (ages 3-10)

Here’s what you’ll need:

Here’s what you do:

Fold the blue construction paper in half length-wise.
Fold it in half again in the same direction.
Unfold the paper and cut on the folds.
Repeat with the white paper. (You will need nine blue strips for every one white strip for the reading chain).

To make the reading chain:

After you read a book to your child, or he reads one to you, help him write the name of the book on a blue strip of construction paper.
Glue the ends of the strip together to form a loop with the title of the book on the outside of the loop.
Repeat this process for the second book, only glue the second blue strip into the first loop to begin a chain.
When nine blue links are on a chain, use a white strip of construction paper to form the tenth link in the chain.
Every time your child reaches a white link on his chain reward him for having read ten books.
As your child’s reading chain lengthens, count by tens together to figure out how many books your child has read. If you wish, hang the chain on the ceiling in your child’s room.

The type of reward is solely up to you, but here are a few suggestions: