I recently started babysitting for a preschool-age boy who has a lot of energy and has a hard time sitting still.  He would much rather play active games than sit and listen to stories.  I'm a big bookworm, though, and I like to emphasize the importance of books -- I have always felt like kids need to see adults modeling frequent reading habits, and not just see books in the home (as it used to be believed).

Even with a high-energy kid, though, there are ways to sneak a little book reading into a child's schedule.  Here are a few ideas I've come up with.  Not all suggestions work with all kids, but hopefully there will be something here that will work for you!

• Read at bedtime.  This is probably the most common way to "sneak" reading into your child's schedule.  Once he or she is all ready for bed, you can snuggle up and read a couple of stories together.  Not only does it help to create lifetime habits, but it also helps your child wind down and relax at bedtime.
• Read while eating.  The other day while my young charge was eating his snack, I read to him.  Considering this is a kid who would rather play than read the rest of the time, this worked out very well.  It worked well for me because he was sitting and eating, essentially a captive audience, and he liked it because it gave him something to do while he ate.
• Read while potty training.  A parent I worked for used books to keep her kids entertained while they sat on the toilet during potty training.  Two birds with one stone -- they learn to go in the potty (and have fewer accidents), and get some book time, too!
• Read in the car.  A stack of books is a great thing to keep in the car, providing your kid doesn't get car sick of course.  You can also play age-appropriate books on tape or CD, rather than music or a movie (for those of you with TVs in your minivans and SUVs).

Can you think of any other good times to sneak in a little reading time?  Remember, if reading is important in your life, don't be afraid to let your kid see it -- let them see that you snatch any available opportunity to pick up a book!