Celebrate the importance of reading aloud to kids

Annual social media #read4luv campaign scheduled for February

February is a month when many people show feelings of love, and Warner School professor and literacy expert Carol Anne St. George hopes to inspire others to share their love for reading with a child throughout February—and every day—by taking the time to read to someone special.

Last year, the Warner School of Education introduced the Annual Love For Reading Day on Valentine’s Day (February 14) to celebrate a love of reading and to ignite and nurture reading at home and in the community through a social media campaign. Last year’s efforts yielded many posts and photos of people reading aloud to children.

This year, the annual social media campaign, themed Share Your Love for Reading With a Child, will encourage readers near and far to document, share, and tag photos of themselves reading aloud to children on social media, using the hashtag #read4luv, throughout the entire month of February. People are also encouraged to share posts and photos of their favorite childhood books.

Research shows that reading aloud daily to children improves their long-term reading success and sets them up for a lifelong love of books and reading. “February is noted as the month of love,” says St. George. “Reading for just 15 minutes a day to children of all ages sets them up for a lifelong love of books and reading.” 

To help show the value of reading with children during the month of February, please share pictures and posts of reading with a child, or even of a favorite book from childhood, on social media (Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter) and tag your photos and posts with the hashtag #read4luv. If you don’t have a young one in the house and want to share your love of reading, snap and share a photo of reading to your favorite critter or teddy bear.

Throughout February, celebrate the month of love by spreading a love for reading with those around you at #read4luv. St. George offers some helpful tips for reading aloud with children.