Reading at home is a wonderful thing. It builds closeness and helps with parent and child bonding. Children can participate in more adventurous reading, when they read with their parents and grand-parents. However, people tend to forget the natural places that kids can read. Those places also have the benefit of letting the child discover that reading is really important. It is useful to be able to read the words of your life, even during these pandemic times.

Before the pandemic turned our lives upside down, people went about their lives, crowded together, without thinking too much about their surroundings. It was easy to find natural places to read; they were everywhere. They still are, but now some precautions may be necessary.

Stores are perfect places to practice reading skills and to learn useful information. Have a bag to carry any free literature. Take it home, let it stand in an out-of-the-way place for a few days, and then read it together. Kids love pet stores. Those stores often have brochures to tell about the animals. Pet food bags and cans are a treasure trove of information, just waiting to be read and to open discussions on pet nutrition. Rather than reading labels and bags at the store, read the ones that you bring home. Gardening stores and nurseries have seed packets to read. Kids will be amazed when they find out that different plants have diverse needs for sun, water, space, and soil. In the past, going to a seed store was a great activity. Instead, order seed catalogs, rather than looking at seed packets Craft stores can pique a child's interest in various crafty adventures.

You cannot forget all of the excellent reading materials at the grocery store! Often there are tags on the produce that tell about each fruit and vegetable. Produce, meat, and seafood departments have recipes, as do the organic foods that are sold. You can grab some recipes to put in a literature bag to peruse at home. Boxes and cans have ingredients and nutrition information. When you get the food home, you can look for recipes to use, or you can do that before you shop. Reading at the grocery and other stores has the additional advantage that there are no entry fees. Be sure to limit the time that you are in the store, wear protective gear, as appropriate, and keep your distance from others. Don't forget the hand sanitizer! Sanitize, as necessary, in the store and after you leave.

Community destinations often have entry fees, but they sometimes have free days, too. Art galleries have information about the pieces of art that they have on display. Arboretums and nature parks have plaques to give information about the plants and animals. Zoos also have information about the animals on display next to the exhibits. Often they have detailed information about the original habitats of the animals. Museums aren't just natural history museums with stuffed animals on display. Museums can feature sports, music, toys, local history, and living history. What museums do you have in your area? Check with these places to see when there are fewer people in the facility. Sometimes, museums limit the number of people at an exhibit by making appointments. That's a better option for taking children, especially smaller children, than a crowded venue.

Every day has opportunities for natural reading. You just need to be alert for them and plan for safety. Teach your children to be active readers in their surroundings. It gives them opportunities to interact with their environment. In addition to improving their reading skills and acquiring a large body of knowledge, they will be more connected to their community.