Have I ever mentioned how much I love to read? Okay, I know I have and while I wouldn’t say I necessarily love it as much as I love coffee, I can’t think of anything I like to do better than drinking coffee and reading a good book at the same time. Oh wait, yes I can. Running. I love running. Running and a motivating playlist go together like peanut butter and jelly. Ooh, that kind of makes me want a cup of coffee and a peanut butter and jelly sandwich because I bet they’d go together pretty well, too. Oops, I got a bit off track there for a minute, but I’m focused again because I need to talk about National Reading Month.
When is National Reading Month?
OH MY GOSH, did you know that March is National Reading Month? I didn’t, but I’m totally excited that it’s a thing because reading deserves to be celebrated. Now I’d consider myself a fairly avid reader so pretty much every month is national reading month to me, but if you aren’t already a reader then I can’t think of a better time to get started.
Real Books vs Kindle Reading App: Why I Love Both
When it comes to reading I think one of the most important things is being able to bring a book with me wherever I go. There’s nothing worse than unexpectedly having to wait somewhere and having nothing to entertain myself. I’m a little old school, so whenever possible I like to carry a real hold-it-in-your-hands-and-smell-the-pages book, but that’s not always convenient. The next best thing is being able to read on a mobile device, which is why I always tend to have my iPad mini (perfect size for reading) with the Kindle reading app as well in my bag or purse at all times. As long as there’s a reliable and speedy network, you know, like U.S. Cellular’s, then I’m all set to read everything from news to books and everything in between.
How to Organize Your News with the Flipboard App
One of my favorite ways to quickly glance at the top headlines of the day is to scroll through my Briefing via the Flipboard app on my Samsung Galaxy S7. It’s broken down into categories so you can easily navigate to what interests you the most, which is especially handy if you’re short on time. I mentioned that I love reading books on my Kindle app, but I know a lot people who prefer the Barnes and Noble Nook ebook app, which isn’t only great for adults but kids as well because they have a large selection of books, comics, and even graphic novels.
Hooked on Phonics Reading App Review
Speaking of kids, if you’re looking for something specifically geared toward children then you should take a look at the Hooked on Phonics and Homer apps. Both apps make learning fun by using videos and games to teach kids how to read, so what you waiting for? Download them both and encourage your child to play, I mean learn, while having fun and before you know it you’ll have a lifelong lover of reading in the family!
When Do People Usually Need Reading Glasses?
In recent years I’ve needed to start wearing glasses when I read. I’ve grabbed a few pairs of cute readers online and at my local department store because if I need to wear them I may as well look good doing it. Considering the fact I’m in my mid-40’s I’d say I’m doing pretty well with my vision even thought it’s been a bit of an adjustment. We all spend so much time looking at the small screens of mobile devices so it’s good to incorporate a few healthy habits to protect your vision and the vision of your kids.
20/20/20 Vision Exercise to Protect Your Eyesight
My favorite way to practice good vision health is to do the 20-20-20 vision exercise several times a day, especially when working at any type of screen. The name makes it pretty easy to remember because you basically just need to take a break every 20 minutes and look at something 20 feet away for 20 seconds. Easy enough, right?
3 Tips to Make Reading More Fun on Your Mobile Device
I have a few other simple ways to protect your vision and reduce eye strain, including the following:
- Take regular breaks. I know this one can be super tough, especially if you’re reading a really great book and don’t want to put it down. If it helps, set a timer before you start reading as a reminder to give your eyes a rest every so often.
- Change the settings on your device so the screen isn’t too dark in the daylight or too bright in a dim room and make sure you periodically check your kids’ devices, too, because they could be straining their eyes without you even realizing it.
- Don’t forget to download anything you’d like to read when traveling because you’ll be out of luck once you switch your device to airplane mode.
Do you like to read? Do you prefer to hold a book in your hand or do you like to read everything on your mobile device? Either way, I hope we’re connected on GoodReads because it’s my favorite way to keep track of the books I’ve read, the ones I’m currently reading, and the ones I want to read. It’s also a great way to connect with fellow bookworms and read their reviews and rate the books you’ve read.
Disclosure: I’m a compensated member of the U.S. Cellular Blogger Brigade, but I love to read and all humor and opinions are my own.
I’m a huge reader, too, and definitely appreciate the tips for keeping your eyes healthy. I’m also all for anything that encourages kids to read more!
Lois Alter Mark recently posted..2017 mazda3 grand touring 5-door
Yes, Lois! It was always a struggle to find something my kids would enjoy reading. Neither of them ever liked to read, but I’m glad they do that they’re getting older.
These are great tips for kids AND adults alike!!! I know my eyes have gotten so bad from all of the screen time I do!
I agree, Reesa! I can’t imagine how bad my eyesight would be if I had been using small screens since I was a kid.
Great tips. My phone has a setting that automatically dims at a certain time and the rebrightens at a certain time.
I did not know that March was national reading month and lately, I have been reading a whole lot more. I still love turning the pages of a real book. I also use kindle a lot and listen to audiobooks.
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Yay for a love of reading, especially when you can literally smell the pages of a book as you hold it in your hand. 😀
I am a huge book fan. I admit I prefer real books to hold in my hand but I am getting to where digital books are fun to have when riding late at night.
Rebecca Bryant recently posted..Disney Store Celebrates 30 Years of Magic
I agree, Rebecca. Real books are my favorite, but I love the convenience of reading them on my mobile device, especially when traveling.
I’m not a huge reader, especially since I’m so busy with college and taking care of a one year old, but these are great tips! My daughter already loves books so I’m very lucky. The kid apps will come in handy!
I’ve only started to make reading a priority in recent years, but it definitely sounds like you’re probably doing plenty of reading if you’re a college student. 😉
It is so important to encourage our kids to read more. My kids love to pick put a new book every other week. I will have to look at these apps.
Nothing compares to a *real* book for me and we still have a shelf of them from when my kids were little, but I love that there are so many great apps nowadays for busy families.
These are great tips! The changing of the screen to a darker one at night is really important. I read on my tablet at night before bed, it helps me relax. But when I had the brighter settings for the screen on it made it difficult to fall asleep.
It’s funny how the littlest adjustments can make such a big impact, Emily. I love to read at night, too, but I don’t want to take forever to fall asleep when I’m done.
I need to look into the Hooked on Phonics app for my daughter. Prepping her for kindergarten reading!
What a great idea, Kristin! You’ll give her a definite head start before she enters school.
My kids love to read! They have their tablets and we put a couple different reading apps on them.
Ever since I bought a kindle for my daughter, she has increased the amount of reading that she does. What I like about Kindle is it has the dictionary built in, and she only has to tap on the word to get the meaning.
One way to protect the vision apart from taking regular breaks is to wear long vision glasses when reading. This pushes the image away from the eye as if it’s looking at a further away object.
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I really need to be more proactive with my vision care. I spend many hours on the computer and would most definitely benefit from it. Also, I need to check out that Hooked On phonics app I didn’t even that existed!
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