At Memphis Striving Readers, we are committed to fostering literacy in our community. Whether you are a parent, volunteer, or community member, there are numerous ways to engage with us and support our mission.
We offer:
- Tutoring Services: Personalized tutoring sessions for children to enhance their reading skills.
- Family Reading Nights: Fun and interactive events designed to promote reading among families.
- Volunteer Training: Opportunities for community members to get involved and make a difference in local literacy efforts.
We encourage you to reach out to us for more information on how you can participate or support our initiatives. Your involvement can help create a brighter future for our children through the power of reading.
For any inquiries, please feel free to contact us through our website or visit us at our events. Together, we can make a significant impact on literacy in Memphis.
Turning Toys, Games and Pop Culture into Reading Practice
News about toys and games, like a toy company announcing changes to a product line, can seem far from literacy work. Yet the characters, packaging and rulebooks children already love are some of the most useful reading material a family can find. A child who shrugs at a worksheet will often happily puzzle out the instructions for a new board game or the back of an action figure box. At Memphis Striving Readers we encourage families to treat these everyday texts as real reading.
Why familiar interests help striving readers
Children who find reading hard often lose confidence when every page feels like a test. Text tied to something they care about lowers that pressure. They already know the characters and the setting, so they can use that background knowledge to work out unfamiliar words. Rulebooks also give reading a clear purpose: you have to understand the instructions to play.
Simple ideas to try at home
- Read the rules together. Before a new game, take turns reading each step aloud, then explain it back in your own words.
- Make a character card. Ask your child to write a name, three facts and a short description for a favorite toy or creature, real or imagined.
- Invent a story. Use action figures or game pieces to act out a scene, then write down one or two sentences about what happened.
- Hunt for words. Packaging, catalogs and game boxes are full of bold, short words that suit early readers.
- Connect to the library. If your child loves aliens, robots or space, ask a librarian for books on the same theme.
Keeping it fun
The goal is enjoyment, not perfection. Praise effort, let your child pick the material, and stop before frustration sets in. Short, regular moments of reading add up over time.
For more activity ideas, browse our family reading resources, or see how our tutoring and family reading nights use the same playful approach to build skills and confidence.