My baby boy and girl are fans of superheroes and comic book characters – both in print and on screen. They both own a couple of comic books and get excited when learning of new characters. Their excitement for comic books probably started when my husband shared his collection of comic books (that he’s had since he was a child) with them. It was so fun to see older comics, noting the differences in style, illustration, etc.
This weekend and every first Saturday in May is Free Comic Book Day. It’s a great annual event that is perfect for encouraging a love of comic books with children. In honor of Free Comic Book Day, I’m sharing a couple of ways to introduce kids to comics. Read on for these fun ideas!
5 Ways to Introduce Kids to Comics
- Visit a comic book shop: One obvious way to introduce kids to comics is to visit a local comic book shop and browse some of the kids’ comics available. (They do exist.) Be careful about the extra-graphic comics and openly talk with your children about what’s appropriate for their age.
- Take advantage of Free Comic Book Day: Every year, on Free Comic Book Day, comic book shops across North America provide free comic books to guests. The goal is to encourage a love of comic books with new generations. This year, Free Comic Book Day is celebrated, May 7, 2016. More details and participating locations can be found on their site.
- Find comics at your local public library: Our local public library has a section for comics and graphic novels within both the children’s and adult section. A quick visit to the library to explore new comic books is a great way to both encourage reading and introduce kids to comics!
- Share your own comics with them: If, like my husband, you have a collection of comic books, break them out and share with your children! They don’t have to read them (or even touch them, if collectible), but simply showing them the different comics and characters from your personal perspective will surely inspire a love of comics for your children!
- Explore kidscomics.com with them: To further explore the world of comic books with your children, check out the Kids Comics site, where you can find kid-friendly comic book shops, read electronic comics, and play games.
I hope these simple ideas for how you can introduce your kids to comic books helps to encourage a love of reading and appreciation for comics with your children! There’s plenty of characters out there, so have fun!
What other ideas can you share to introduce kids to comics? Will you be heading to a comic shop for Free Comic Book Day this weekend?
Comic book cover images courtesy of DC Entertainment
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