What to Do With Wiggle Worms
My love is teaching “reluctant readers” how to love reading. Every kid is different and requires a different approach to reading. Some kids will sit and read for hours. (I was one of them.) Others, you have to fight just to get them to sit still for 15 minutes. Over the years, I’ve discovered there are many different kinds of reluctant readers. If you’ve got a kiddo or two who won’t sit still long enough to read…or longs to go play outside when its “reading time” and you have to force/bribe them to sit and read…you probably have a Wiggle Worm in your house. Here are some strategies designed to help your Wiggle Worm turn into a Book Worm.
Embrace the idea of Read Alouds – True, it might seem a bit ridiculous to read aloud to your kiddo once they’ve passed the “learning how to read stage”…but if physically reading is so draining that they hate the concept of reading, then they need to discover a love for stories and discovery. Once this happens, they’ll want to initiate reading. ABOVE ALL pick a book that your Wiggle Worm will want to hear the rest of the story. If they’re an action adventure kid, try a spy novel. If they’re big on camping and the outdoors, choose a survival themed book. You get the gist. Be prepared, it might take a few duds to find a really good book…don’t be afraid to stop mid book and find something new. Why torture yourself and your Wiggle Worm with a book they’re not enjoying?
BUT, since your kid’s a Wiggle Worm…likely they won’t want to sit still and that might drive you nuts. Remember, there’s no hard-fast rule saying you have to sit perfectly still in order to enjoy a book. Here are some strategies to allow your Wiggle Worm some freedom to move but still keep their attention on the book.
LEGOS and Play-Doh – Sometimes Wiggle Worms just need something to do with their hands…a goal to accomplish. Give them access to some Legos or Play-Doh and challenge them to build something about or from the book they’re listening to. My brother Joshua (11yrs) created these really amazing Lego scenes from listening to the Inheritance Cycle books by Christopher Paolini. Through his listening skills, he was able to take the information he gathered and translate it into Lego form. Super cool!
D.E.A.R. Time (Drop Everything And Read) – Wiggle Worms get distracted easily, especially if they feel like they’re “missing out.” Why not turn off all the screens and have every family member open a book and read? No catching up on emails, no sports channel, no computer games or anything with a screen…for anyone in the house. Start out with just 15 minutes every day at the same time and slowly increase the time. By making it part of your everyday routine and having everyone participate, you’ll make it easier for your Wiggle Worm to embrace the idea of reading time.
It’s okay to Move - Sometimes all a Wiggle Worm needs is to be able to move. Go to the park and swing or walk an outside track or just pace in the backyard or the basement…all of these can be done while the Wiggle Worm is reading alone, listening to you read aloud, or everyone listening to an audiobook. (Check out the many great selections at your library!)
What are your strategies for Wiggle Worms? Let me know in the comments below!