Catch-a-Reader with Life Without Barriers

5 August 2021

We can all encourage reading with our children and young people.

Image: Pictured is Michael Gerard Bauer and Samantha Wheeler reading their books!

Supporting Children and Young People to build bright futures through education and learning Everyday Everyway.

We all have a role to play in supporting children and young people's ongoing learning and educational engagement – why not have a bit of fun at the same time.

As a parent, foster parent, guardian of teacher you can do simple everyday things to encourage children to read. Creating excitement around literacy can start by reading to them and with them, or by a fun activity like a trip to the library where they can select their own book.

Image: A line of teenagers 'caught' reading outside.

Be ‘caught reading’

Kids love to copy adults, and if they see you cuddled up with a good book, or taking time to read the newspaper over a coffee on a Sunday, they may want to join in.

By leading by example, you’ll not only reap the benefits of reading yourself, you’ll model a love for reading that may just rub off on the little people around you.

For the Hook into Books Campaign, Life Without Barriers will be modelling reading for our community in the Catch-a-Reader online photo sharing activity.

How to get involved and #CatchAReader?

To 'catch’ a reader snap a photo of someone (or even yourself) reading! For little kids or kids in foster care, make sure the book covers their face to protect them. You can also take a picture of your latest book or magazine or even a cute kindle flatlay!

Image: Some great deidentified readers caught below!

Your ‘reading catches’ can be shared with the Life Without Barriers community by sending them to hookintobooks@lwb.org.au. You can also upload them and tag us! Use the hashtags #LifeWithoutBarriers, #HookIntoBooks and #CatchAReader and tag us on social media to be featured. You can find our social media @ below.

How many ‘catches’ can you make?

Looking for more inspiration? Join the MS Readathon 1-31 August

The MS Readathon inspires kids to read as much as they can, all for one incredible cause. The rules are simple. Read whatever you like, as much as you can, throughout the month of August. 

Children can register with their school (teachers, you can register your class) or individually. Best of all, by joining our quest, not only will you awaken a love of reading, you will also be helping kids who have a parent with multiple sclerosis.

Cool resource: The Reading Corner.

Here you will find a wide variety of books that have reviewed by children and young people.

The Pyjama Foundation

The Pyjama Foundation was founded in 2004 to give children in foster care the opportunity to change the direction of their lives with learning, life skills, and confidence. Helping Foster Kids achieve their dreams. Through a simple program known as the Love of Learning Program, volunteers called Pyjama Angels are matched with a child in care, and spend just one hour a week focusing on learning based activities.

National Pyjama Day is day is all about wearing your favourite pair of PJ’s to help raise much-needed awareness and funds for children in foster care. The official day was in July, but you can host a Pyjama Day any time throughout August or September. So put on your favourite PJ’s, make a donation, and get your friends/colleagues involved!