Showing your child that you are committed to recording their books demonstrates the importance you place on the act of reading. Previously, I shared two valuable ideas to help you accomplish just that. This article includes two additional ideas for documenting the important work your child is doing. You may be surprised to find what a difference they can make in increasing a child’s willingness to read and in strengthening your bond as a team.

Reading Logs

Most parents of elementary-age children are familiar with these. They are incredibly useful to teachers, who often offer an incentive to reach a certain number of hours spent reading each month. This can be a great tool for you, as well. However, based on our family’s experience, there are a few drawbacks. We found that even though we were doing the reading each day, it was hard to remember to fill in the log. Sometimes the paper got misplaced, our child neglected to turn it in, or it got damaged in backpacks or on the dinner table. Here are some ideas for best success using a reading log:

• Post it to your fridge. This serves as a great daily reminder and keeps the log from getting lost or ruined. 
• Use a sheet protector to keep the log clean and dry. You might even prefer writing over it with a dry-erase marker so you don’t have to print off a new one each month. Taking a picture of it and sending it to the teacher will ensure it never gets lost again.
• If your child is old enough to fill out his own reading log, use it as a way to check in with his reading. After the log is completed, talk with him about which book he enjoyed the most, the least, and why. Ask what he learned from each book. What were some of their themes? This is a fantastic way to get your child to think critically and prepare them for writing book reports later on.
• For those who prefer paper documents, keep all the logs together in a binder as a memento of your child’s reading accomplishments. For those who prefer digital media, take a picture of each log and keep them in a file that is easily accessed. 

These logs will become an important summary of one’s childhood. They are something to take pride in and can provide beloved memories without much effort on your part. In addition, you truly never know when the logs could come in handy. Perhaps a high school or college teacher will ask her to write a report on her favorite childhood author or on some of the children’s books that shaped her beliefs. Someday after your child is grown, she may want to purchase particular books she read in her youth to have available for her own children. These would be difficult tasks without having any record of her reading.

Book Journals

A book journal is similar to a reading app, just in a hard copy. These are an excellent resource, particularly for homeschoolers and teens (or adults!) wanting to record information about the books they have read. Here are some advantages to utilizing a book journal:

• Hard copy journals do not require additional screen time from your kids. Moreover, you won’t have to put any of your personal information on the internet.
• Whatever you write will remain private. You can write out your child’s personal responses and reviews simply for your own records. 
• This time spent together gives another opportunity to discuss what was read and determine your child’s level of understanding.
• A book journal will grow in sentimental value as your child gets older. It will be tender and meaningful to posess their reading history written in your handwriting. Then, as they are able, they can write on their own, providing a timeline of their individual handwriting. 
• Writing things by hand is proven to help you remember information longer. If you or your child are forgetful like me, your chances of remembering titles, authors, and stories improve when you put pen to paper. Plus, you can always return to it later.
• For homeschoolers, this is a ready-made stack of book reports, all bound together! Make your job a whole lot easier by picking up one of these for your student.
• And finally, journals like these provide another beautifully bound tome for book lovers to put on their shelves.

Click on the images below to take a peek inside this sampling of reading journals. Each one is unique and ranges in price and content. I encourage you to look them over carefully to find the one that will inspire your child and fit what you have in mind!

Share in the comments whether you love or hate reading charts and why, or which of these book journals appeals to you the most! 

Happy record keeping!

Photo credit: Jess Bailey on Unsplash