Reading Aloud
Reading aloud to our children is a beautiful way to connect with them and to encourage a love of good stories. As we gather together to read, we deepen our relationships and open the door to wonder, imagination, and conversation.
Through read-alouds (books that are read out loud), children encounter rich language, new ideas, and beautiful pictures. It gives them an opportunity to connect with new places, new people, and new perspectives.
Whether we choose picture books or chapter books, fiction or nonfiction, this time is a gift to our whole family.
If you’re excited to start read-aloud time in your home, here are some tips to help it flow smoothly.
Short and Sweet
Read-aloud time doesn’t have to be lengthy to be meaningful. Even a few minutes of reading together can cultivate connection, encourage wonder, and inspire a love of stories. Starting small can help a new habit feel manageable, while still being incredibly meaningful.
As your children grow more accustomed to being read to, this time may naturally lengthen.
Busy Hands and Happy Hearts
It can be easy to imagine a read-aloud time with children sitting perfectly still as they listen to the story, but many children engage best when their hands are busy. Providing an engaging, quiet activity may help them focus and enjoy the story more fully.
Activities like coloring, drawing, puzzles, knitting, stickers, Play-doh, and more can help keep their hands busy and their hearts happy.
Set the Habit
By anchoring your read-aloud to a current habit you already have, you may find it easier to sustain this new (or renewed) habit. This may be during a snack time, after school, or before bedtime. Find a time that works for your family in your current life stage and season.
Getting Started
If you’re not sure where to begin, simply start by gathering a few picture books that you’re excited to read to your children, or choosing a chapter book read-aloud to enjoy. Find a favorite picture book that you loved as a child, or gather a new one that caught your eye on the library shelf. Here are 9 read-aloud chapter book ideas to get you started:
10 Read-Aloud Chapter Book Ideas
- The Moffats by Eleanor Estes
- Charlotte’s Web by E.B. White
- The Adventures of Sophie Mouse: A New Friend by Poppy Green
- The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe by C.S. Lewis
- The Mouse and the Motorcycle by Beverly Cleary
- The Trumpet of the Swan by E.B. White
- Pippi Longstocking by Astrid Lindgren
- The Hobbit by J.R.R. Tolkien
- Heartwood Hotel: A True Home by Kallie George
- Little House in the Big Woods by Laura Ingalls Wilder
Rooted and Ready
Reading aloud to our children is an incredible gift and a blessing: not just for them, but for us as well! Rooted in the many benefits of reading together, and ready to gather those books, we can step forward into this beautiful world of stories together.
