The Reading Railroad 014

Here is a fun way to encourage conversation, learn new vocabulary, and enrich your child's knowledge of their culture.

Children ask these questions because they're curious about their family's history and traditions. It's important to connect your kids to their lineage so they can find their place in your family's ongoing legacy. Dinnertime presents an ideal opportunity to share your younger days and family stories with them.

THE WORDS YOU NEED
You can crank up the family "time machine" by telling a story or by asking your kids some questions. Here are a few family album openers:

The Words: "What do you think we did for fun when we were your age?"

The Reason: Kids like to use their imaginations and play guessing games -- this question triggers both. Their answers will lead to "when I was your age we used to..." discussions.

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The Words: "When your great grandpa was a young man, he escaped from Russia because the Czar was taking all the Jewish boys from their families and forcing them into the Russian army. He sailed to this country as a stowaway on a big boat. After landing in New York City, he worked hard and saved enough money to bring your great grandma over here to join him." This is my children's great grandparents' tale.

The Reason: How your family elders arrived in this country is a story your children should hear. If you're fortunate enough to have living grandparents and great grandparents, encourage them to tell these stories -- your kids need to hear their tales of courage.

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The Words: "Let me tell you how our family tradition of making Christmas cookies for the neighborhood started."

The Reason: As kids grow, family traditions offer them security and a sense of uniqueness. Recounting the origins of your cherished traditions gives them a deeper understanding of why these traditions are so special.

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The Words: Can you kids guess who the children are in these pictures? How old do you think they are? Guess where these pictures were taken.

The Reason: Showing old family photographs always ignites animated discussions: "Mary Beth looks just like Auntie Colleen!" "Look at the short pants on Grandpa!" "Dad, who gave you that haircut?" "How long did you live in that apartment?"

CONVERSATION TIPS
Encourage your kids to interrupt your family stories with their questions and comments. When telling your stories, you may want to pause occasionally to ask your children questions about them: "Would you have done what your Uncle Jason did?" "What do you think your great grandparents were feeling when they celebrated their first Passover in this country?"

BEYOND THE RAP
Family history dinner raps can become a dinnertime staple -- a continuing conversation. They can also be used as a prelude to larger family get-togethers, where more family stories, photos, movies, and letters are shared.

Playing music and singing songs from family members' pasts is another way to share your history. Bringing out inherited keepsakes will also enliven family gatherings. Try giving your kids the role of family historian: Encouraging them to capture these stories on audio or videotape. These recordings are sure to become family treasures.

Table Talk!: 365 Ways to Reclaim the Family Dinner Hour
Creative family-centered ideas - this guide is for families who want to make dinnertime family time once again--and it works even in the face of tight schedules and parental burnout.

III. Wow! Just for Dads
Very seldom have I found a book just for Dad's Wow Dad! gives you quick and easy ways to create special moments and memories AND JUST HAVE FUN with your child!

IV. Great Kid Sites

My First Garden, a guide to the world of fun for clever gardening. This site is wonderful to do with your child. It has a teachers / parents guide.

The Science Explorer has activities that are fun and easy like making a geosedic gumdrops out of toothpicks and gumdrops; Blowing, Bouncing, Bursting Bubbles Bubble Bomb - Using baking soda and vinegar, you can pop a plastic bag with the power of fizz; Pringles® Pinhole - Recycle a potato chip can into a simple camera. Fun activites for parents and children to do together that will peak your young child's interest in science.

Bubble Drop
Excellent for increasing hand-eye coordination.

V. Book of the Month for Kids

Two Bear Clubs
In this retelling of a Miwok Indian legend about the huge granite rock formation at Yosemite known as El Capitan, two bear cubs go for a romp and become so tired they fall asleep on a rock. They don't even wake up when the rock begins to grow.

When Mother Grizzly goes searching for the cubs, all the animals she encounters try to help her. It isn't until the most insignificant of creatures tries to make the climb that the cubs are rescued.

The excellent background notes on the Miwok and the story of the small, triumphant worm make this a great story. Kindergarten-Grade 3.

VI. What’s YOUR Story? – Tell us about it!
Every day we hear from people who tell us that the ideas in the Reading Railroad have made a difference in their children’s lives. We would love to hear your success story!
thegoodlife(at)comcast.net
to tell us about how The Reading Railroad has worked for you and your child!

VII. Past issues of the Reading Railroad
Back Issues of the Reading Railroad

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