Send a boosted book to your grandchild from a distance
BY KERRY BYRNE, PHD
Grandparents spend a lot of money on books for grandchildren. When I first became an auntie, before I was a mother, I loved going to the bookstore to pick out the perfect book for my nieces and nephews.
I’m a firm believer in using books to connect from a distance and I think books make great gifts for kids. But have you noticed that sometimes the book as gift isn’t always exciting in the moment to receive as a child?
“But what if you could spark their interest in the book right away and make it an extra special gift to receive?”
When my children receive books, it takes them a few hours to circle back and become interested in the book. They love books, but they are kids and are naturally drawn to that car or truck in the gift first.
But what if you could spark their interest in the book right away and make it an extra special gift to receive?
Enter the ‘Boosted Book’.
I shared this idea a few months ago with members of The Long Distance Grandparent Society and they loved it – so much so, that I’ve decided to share this with all of you so you can use it too!
In a nutshell, take any book you are going to send to your grandchild and ‘boost’ it with any of the following items.
- Photos of you together made into a bookmark
- Postcard of your local area
- A picture you’ve drawn for them
- Pipe cleaner people (that double as a bookmark)
- Inspirational quotes
- Paper dolls
- A keychain with their name on it
- Origami money
- Magnets
- Mini gel clings
- Temporary tattoos
- Band aids
- A recipe you want to make together when they visit
- Glow in the dark items (bookmark, stars)
- Hair accessories
- Stickers (make them related to the book if you can)
- Article/newspaper clipping/picture about something they love or related to the book.
- Mini flags from your country, their country or a country of relevance to your family or the book.
- Googly eyes
- Finger puppets
- Poem
- A joke
- Fun paperclips
- Nail stickers
- Stick of chewing gum
- A maze
The possibilities are endless – and of course, you can use any of the above items to pop into a card or letter you send to them at any point.
Try to include something personal, such as stickers of a photo of you together, tucked into the book – or short notes on fun paper reminding them how much you love them, how proud of them you are for a recent achievement, etc.
It’s a simple idea to spruce up any book gift – and makes the book stand out as ‘fun’. It’s a win-win because the key to helping children love reading is to make it enjoyable and playful for them.
See more from Kerry here
I’m Kerry, Founder of The Long Distance Grandparent. I’d love for you to join me as I grow this business into a movement that will benefit grandparents and grandchildren all over the world (more on that later!). Ready to learn more? I’d love for you to join us.