Make Your Child’s Read Aloud Experience Great
7 tips to make your child’s read-aloud experience outstanding!
- We think that your daily read-aloud time with your child or children should be the happiest part of your day. This is an opportunity to forget about work, forget about chores, forget about whatever is distracting you. Make storytime an opportunity to focus just on your child. Read aloud is a time to escape into great picture books or chapter books and create wonderful memories and learning opportunities for your child.
- Just as you might count down the days ’til you visit a special friend or location, create some excitement about the books you read aloud. “What shall we read tonight?” “I can’t wait for our storytime!”, “Let’s borrow a HUGE pile of books from the library this weekend!”, “What kind of book would you like for your birthday?”, “Which books shall we take on our holiday?”
- It’s completely fine to read the same book more than once to your child! Each time you read a book aloud, children are learning new vocabulary, they are gaining phonemic awareness and exploring new ideas and new themes. Don’t worry if your child wants to hear the same book over and over again. He is still benefiting from the experience and enjoying the time with you!
- Beyond simplying reading aloud, have some “performance fun.” Use silly, giggling voices, stern, authoritative voices. Use high-pitched squeaky voices and low-pitched growls. Act out part of the story along with your child! Build a special fort and read inside it! Turn out the lights and read with a flashlight or read while stretched out on a picnic blanket. If your child doesn’t want to sit still for a story, it is completely fine to have your child play with Lego or draw a picture while you read.
- Interrupt the story occasionally and engage your child in discussion. Encourage your child to make a prediction or tell you which farm animal he likes best or make a comparison to another story. Play I Spy with the illustrations or the text. When children make predictions and comparisons, they are flexing their comprehension muscles!
- Choose age-appropriate stories for your child, look for books that match your child’s maturity and interests. When she is ready, move past baby or toddler books and discover great picture books and chapter books. Every now and then, be brave and give something challenging a try – don’t be afraid to stretch!
- Make time for you and your child to enjoy this simple yet rewarding escape every single day. It will be good for both of you, it will instill a love of reading and prepare your child for independent reading!
