Before we dive into creating the perfect book nook, here are fantastic book lists by grade:
- Making Sense of Reading Levels
- Kindergarten Read by Themselves (arranged by book level)
- 1st Graders to Read Themselves (by book level)
- Top 25 Chapter Book Series for 1st-3rd Grade
- 2nd Grade Reading List
- 3rd Grade Reading List
- 4th Grade Book List
- 5th Grade Reading List
- Historical Fiction for Kids (arranged chronologically)
<< Don't miss our hugely popular Monthly Stories for Kids <<
Create a Nook Books
A reading nook doesn't need to be fancy. It's simply a special spot created especially to invite children to sit and read for a time.
Lighting & Pillows
Since the children will be curling up and reading at all times of the day, find a spot with good lighting or a place for a lamp. Sometimes the spots have great natural lighting. Other times the reading nooks have horrid lighting or the kids love curling up to read on dark winter nights. Pick up a good sturdy lamp to light the area.
Also make the nook comfortable for children to curl up and read. Fill it with pillows and blankets. You can add pillows of various sizes for the children to use. Large pillows are wonderful to sit on while smaller pillows help prop up books or give something to lean upon.
Book Baskets
Search your house and stores for some good sized baskets to place in your reading nook. You'll want the baskets big enough to hold books of various sizes yet sturdy enough to withstand some rough handling over the years. You can find matching baskets or spray paint the baskets for a uniform look.
Fill the baskets with various books. Include challenging books to increase your children's vocabulary. Fun and easy books to encourage a love of reading. Find science books full of pictures for children to
browse through. Include beautiful art books for kids to admire.
Extras
Consider adding audio books to your reading nook. Everyone enjoys curling up and listening to a good story sometimes. Kids are no different. It's also a great way of introducing your child to great
children's literature that may be above their reading level.
Stuffed animals make a wonderful addition to the reading nook. The toys can keep your children company while they read, or be someone non threatening to practice reading aloud.
With a bit of thought and planning you can create a wonderful reading nook for your family. You'll have a place to store library books, and your children will have a delightful spot to read.
Do you have a reading nook in your house?
Book Nooks We LOVE
Sara Dennis is a homeschooling mother of 6 children ages 4 through 18. After much research into homeschooling in 2000, she and her husband fell in love with classical education and used it as the foundation for their homeschool. Sara blogs at Classically Homeschooling, and you can find her on Facebook, Pinterest, Twitter, and Google+.
