November is National Family Literacy Month®

Over the past several decades, researchers across the country have recognized the strong correlation between parents’ and caregivers’ educational attainment and children’s educational outcomes. We know that families thrive when they learn together.

Back in 1994, the National Center for Families Learning (NCFL) worked with Congress to designate November 1 as National Family Literacy Day®. Each year for the past 25 years, we have joined libraries, schools, and educational programs across the country to celebrate National Family Literacy Month throughout each November.

The month offers an opportunity for practitioners to emphasize the important role that families play in the education of their children. Whether it’s hosting a virtual reading workshop for families in your program or classroom, or publicly recognizing families for their efforts during this difficult year, there are many ways to celebrate.

This November, we invite you to explore the following activities to foster learning within your own family and with your students. Don’t forget to share your activities online using #NationalFamilyLiteracyMonth.

• During the 30 days of November, discover ways to learn and have fun as a family with 30 Days of Families Learning Together, a guide full of literacy activities and practices designed to inspire family memories rooted in imagining, playing, and learning together. This resource is available in Spanish as well as English.
• There are still a few warm days in store, so relieve some stress by heading outside. There are lots of ways to have a scavenger hunt, or consider playing a simple game of nature bingo.
• Plan a virtual reading workshop for families in your program or classroom. Choose a book to read aloud to adults and children together. (Hint: humorous books often work well with larger groups.) Plan stopping points and ask open-ended questions that families can discuss. Learn more about family reading strategies in this webinar.
• Recognize families in your classroom or program. Give shout outs to families for their work toward their goals on your social media accounts using #NationalFamilyLiteracyMonth.
• How were rubber bands invented? What makes something alive? We may not be able to enjoy as much of the world as we used to, but we can still explore all of its wonders right at home with the help of Wonderopolis. Each day, this free online learning resource invites visitors to explore an intriguing question about the world around us, or search for answers to questions they have. As a family, read through one Wonder each week and practice the accompanying activities together.

We hope these activities lead to meaningful learning opportunities and happy memories for you and your family this month. Subscribe to our Hotspot blog and follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram to learn about useful resources and strategies throughout the month.