ChildrensBookStore.com Launches Kids Need Real Books Campaign

Childrensbookstore.com launches a campaign for children to have and read real books.

A plea from Jake Ball, founder of Childrensbookstore.com:

Many American homes are overrun with kids and electronics. It's not uncommon for a family to have iPads, Nintendo DS units, a Nintendo Wii, laptop computers and, large HD television, smart phonesoh and some kids too.

The games and programs available to children are amazing. They have bright colors, beautiful graphics and they engage the child through sight, sound and touch. Kids love these fancy devices, given the opportunity, they would spend every waking moment in front of flickering screens.

Touch screen devices provide a lot of utility. However, they are engaging to the point that they deliver 100% of the sensory experience and leave no room for a young mind to imagine, interpret and have an individual experience.

Childhood is a time of wonder and imagination; a very short period in a long life when the world is full of magic and mystery. Many parents feel that an important aspect of childhood is lost in a sea of tiny screens.

Most parents work to provide opportunities for kids to use their minds and have individual experiences while they are still young. Fingers-crossed that they become interesting people who have something unique to contribute to the world.

Mountains of studies demonstrate that excessive screen time hurts children in myriad ways. However, a high-priced study is not needed to know that when a child is quietly engrossed in a book, she is learning important skills and having a valuable experience.

Parents must take a stand for their kids. This means taking the device away and replacing it with a real book-made from paper. Hard copy books are consumed slowly and methodically. Books create time and space for a child to engage his or her imagination and mind in a way that is very different from a touch screen.

Today's children are bound for a lifetime of text messages, games and smart phones. All these are fine things. But, the time to enjoy a real book with a child's imagination is very short. We do an entire generation a disservice by depriving them of the magic reading a book.

Read real books to your kids. Give them real books that they can enjoy on their own and allow time for imagination to flourish. Quiet time with real books is important.

Twenty five years from now, the files on iPads, and other devices will no longer be. But, books will remain as a reminder to as a time of wonder. And, they can be read and experienced by the next generation.

Children must have the opportunity to get lost in a book-a real book.

Parents need to Turn off the devices! The value of reading together cannot be overstated. When a child sees that a text message, email, etc. takes a parent's attention during family time, they see that devices are more important than people.

Childrensbookstore.com has developed an online campaign to advocate for real books. It's called "Kids Need Real Books". We encourage parents and children to slow down and read together.

Childrensbookstore.com welcomes all who want to fight for the experience that real books provide to post one of the badges on your own website. Click here to see the badges.

Let's get real books into the hands of real kids. Now, go give a child a book.

Childrensbookstore.com is an independent online store based in Meridian, Idaho. The store is 100% dedicated to juvenile literature and helping parents and educators make great decisions when they buy books.

To post a comment, you must register and login.