Reading Together to Spark Early Childhood Education

This post was sponsored by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt as part of an Influencer Activation for Influence Central.

Sometimes the smallest things are the most magical moments in a child’s life.

Little things like playing hide and go seek every single night before bedtime, or laying in bed with my oldest and asking each other questions for a few minutes before he sleeps.

Life is made up of tiny moments, and kids notice them.

It’s not so much that they realize what is happening now, but as they grow older they look back on those little things and start to more fully understand how loved they are.

I remember sitting on the couch with my godmother as a eight or nine year old kid. I would have a joke book and we would sit for hours while I read her corny books from a children’s book. She would laugh at each one and always ask to hear more.

As a kid, I thought this was normal, and clearly a highlight of the day for both of us. There is nothing more fun than hours of knock knock jokes from a brilliant and clever nine year old, right?

Oh. Yeah. Now that I’m an adult I realize how much love she was pouring into me for hours at a time as she endured quite possibly the dumbest jokes in the history of comedy. But she listened, for me. Because it was a way that she could show me love and contribute to my early learning.

Now that I have my own kids, I’m beginning to see how reading is such a huge part of loving on kids and contributes to their education.

 Houghton Mifflin Harcourt has started the #sparkamind campaign, to help capture these moments. Anytime some one shares a post using that hashtag, it will appear on the mini site AND they will donate a children’s book to an early learning organization.

My kids rooms are practically overflowing with books, but I know a lot of lower income kids don’t have the same chance to look through books. This is such a wonderful way to help close that education gap for kiddos!

And to share the love of reading, and happy snuggles with a book, with even more kids!

I was shocked to find out that while in mid-income areas the ratio of books per child is 13 books to every 1 child, but in lower income areas the ratio is 1 children’s book for ever 300 children.  Yikes!!! It’s a smal thing that I take for granted with my kids every single day. I’m thankful for Houghton Mifflin Harcourt pointing out this problem, and also giving us an immediate way to help. We can all send out a quick tweet, Facebook or Instagram post!

In addition to this books initiative, they are also offering my readers a discount for their Curious World app. You get your first 30 days free and then 20% off your subscription. The app has over 500 educational games, videos and books! I was showing it to my son today and he was so excited to get started. He saw some of his favorite characters right on the home page and we’re excited to dive in and use it more in the coming weeks.

As you go through your day I encourage you to think about the little moments that meant the most to you as a kid. It can be so encouraging to remember them as a parent, because it helps us to see that evne though our kids may not respond to the things we are doing now, it really does mean something to them, and will mean even more as they grow.

It reminds me to take more time to slow down and read stories and laugh at not-very-funny jokes, because I remember the life changing power of love that was shown to me as a kid, and I want my kids to feel that as they grow up too.

For more information about early learning and the #sparkamind campaign check out their website, Facebook, Instagram, Twitter or Pinterest.