Study: kids reading less
Categories: Kids 8-11, Teens & tweens, In the news, Media, Education, That's entertainment
Today, my seven year old and I spent the afternoon in the bookstore. While I was heartened to see many little kids enjoying books, I couldn't help but notice that there weren't many older kids browsing the aisles. After reading about this study, I think I know where those kids were: at home in front of some sort of digital entertainment. The Tween & Teen Lifestyle Report is a bi-yearly look at what kids ages 8 to 17 are doing with their free time. No surprise, the trend away from reading and toward surfing the Internet, watching television and playing video games continues. The study, conducted by Youth Trends, a research and marketing firm, shows that only 65% of teens (ages 14 to 17) read a magazine for fun last month compared to 65% a year ago. Magazine reading among tweens (ages 8 to 13) showed a similar decline with 48% reporting reading a magazine in the last month compared to 52% percent a year ago.
Skipping magazine reading might not seem like such a bad thing (aren't they all beauty tips and celebrities anyway?), but the report shows that kids are using that time to watch more television and play around online. The report doesn't reveal just what the kids are watching on the tube, but you can be pretty sure it isn't educational. Online, they are spending the majority of their time sending and receiving emails, instant messaging and playing games.
I love to read and rarely does a day go by that I don't indulge that love. It's a habit I developed as a child (way before the Internet and cable television) and one that I still enjoy immensely. My seven year old, if left to her own devices, would rather watch an episode of Hannah Montana for the fourth time than read a book. But when I turn the television off and put a book in her hand, she quickly remembers that she loves to read. I give her books not just to get her away from the screen, but because I hope to make reading a habit that she will enjoy for the rest of her life, too.
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
Mimi 6-24-2008 @ 3:30PM
You are forgetting that many games now incorporate a large amount of reading into them. Games such as Morrowind and Oblivion have tons of short stories in them in the form of books that can be collected and read. I've made my own library in Morrowind. It was messy but so what? I had hours of stories in one little home. Plus I could go adventure when I got tired of just reading.
Games such as World of Warcraft have quests that are a little tidbits (about a page) of a story that continue on from quest to quest. People that play these games are atleast somewhat into the lore of the game and there are many books that can be read that give a deeper story. I know many people that started with playing the game and now can't get enough of the books.
I don't see video games as an end to reading, I see it as a way to ignite the love of reading into people that wouldn't of been accessed otherwise.
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Jenn 6-24-2008 @ 10:17PM
Mimi has a point (and I have personal experience of it too, as I am both an avid reader and a semi-avid gamer). But I think in order for the appreciation of the stories and quest tales in MMOs to really take root, the love of reading (and stories in general) has to be there first.
I have been a bookworm since I taught myself to read at the age of 4 (and this was before preschool was common and reading was taught in the first grade!). My current favorite decorating scheme is "librarian." Our house is probably a fire hazard due to the amount of paper in it!
I only hope that by setting an example and making it clear how very fun reading can be, I can kindle the same love of books in her.
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Sarah 6-25-2008 @ 9:03AM
I've always been a bookworm, and when my kids were little, I read books to them every night and they loved it. We went to the library and the bookstore and they learned to read well. We have shelves of books, and their father and I read books and newspapers everyday. BUT, they are now teenagers and wouldn't touch a book if their lives depended on it. I blame the schools' Accerated Reading programs that start in about the 4th grade. (You read a book at your level, take a test and if you pass it, you earn so many points. You have to have so many points every 9 weeks for your "reading" grade on your report card.) This program takes the joy out of reading. They no longer read for pleasure because it was now another homework chore. They put it off (because they hated it!) and just before the term ended, we would be in the library or bookstore looking for a book that they could read, pass the test on and get the needed 13 (or whatever) points. It was a nightmare. My youngest is just out of 4th grade, and he read the whole "Series of Unfortunate Events" this school year. His teacher told me the AR program was optional this year, but he could take the tests if he wanted to. I chose not to have him take the tests, as I knew it would ruin it for him. My oldest is going to be a sophomore in college, and he did read "The Shack" this summer on his own. Maybe there's hope!
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think7generations 6-26-2008 @ 4:28PM
I love this post! I have a seven-year old as well, and she loves to read and even reads at third-grade level, but I admit it is easier to sit down on the couch and watch our favorite tv shows together, like John & Kate plus 8 or Dinner Impossible than to turn off the tv and find a good book for her to read or do something physical together. We need to do more of that. Thanks for reminding me.
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