When our kids are little, we read to them. It’s just something parents of young children do. But at some point, we stop. Our kids become older, more independent, and they learn to read themselves. So they read on their own. In this post, I’m suggesting that we should continue to read to them for as long as they’ll let us. I know many children in middle school who still love being read to.
There are so many benefits to reading aloud to your kids. The obvious one is that it’s time spent together. It’s even better if you snuggle up together somewhere comfortable while you do it. This is one of my favorite ways to spend time with my kids, and they love it too. Besides being time well spent, it helps kids to learn to love reading. And simply put, the more they enjoy reading, the better readers they will become. If they see reading as a wonderful thing to do, a chance to get comfortable and escape into a good story, they will be much more likely to do it, and to do it well.
We hear all the time about reading comprehension, and making sure kids are reading books they are able to comprehend. This is very important. If they can’t understand what they’re reading, because the words are too long or complicated, or the vocabulary slows them down, there isn’t much point to reading it. But do we really want them to be exposed to only those books they can figure out on their own? What about their oral comprehension? Kids can understand stories that are much more complex than those they can read themselves. Reading
There is a right and a wrong way to read aloud. Have you ever listened to a parent read a story to their child in a monotone voice, with no change in pace or tone, and no facial expression? That would be the wrong way.
The first thing you want to do is pick a book you enjoy. It’s very hard to read a book you dislike in an engaging way. Then when you read, all snuggled up and cozy, use your voice to tell the story. Use different voices for different characters. You may feel funny doing this at first, but kids love it, and it’s actually quite fun. When a story is building suspense, read slowly. Pause right before exciting events. If something very exciting is happening, read quickly to build upon the excitement. If there is something bad happening, or about to happen, lower your voice and speak slowly. You might even whisper. If a character is feeling very happy or excited, read in a high-pitched voice more quickly than you otherwise would. And always read the last sentence of a story very slowly. It’s a great way to end a book.
It’s very easy to read this way when sharing picture books with your kids, but you can do it with chapter books as well. Keep in mind, though, that even older kids (and some adults!) enjoy picture books. They aren’t just for the little guys!
If you want to learn more about reading aloud to your kids, there are some great books out there. My absolute favorite is Reading Magic by Mem Fox. She is the author of dozens of children’s books, and this book for parents is really just wonderful. You might consider getting the audio version, as she is really amazing at reading aloud. I don’t necessarily agree with all of her ideas on how kids learn to read, but the tips she gives on reading aloud are really great. Another book you might want to check out is The Read-Aloud Handbook by Jim Trelease. This has more read-aloud tips, as well as lists of books to start with.
The most important thing you can do is to make this an enjoyable experience for everyone involved. You don’t want to feel rushed, or stressed, or pressure your child in any way while you’re reading. Just relax, pick up a great book, and give it a shot. Remember, what you’re really doing is teaching your child that reading is fun, and therefore making it something that they will want to do. You are creating a reader.
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