Hello all, and welcome back to Teaching Little Readers! Reading to children is so important especially when they are very young. Kids learn many different things through reading. They learn how to talk, how to communicate, play and they learn many different things about the world too! Parents are advised to read books as much as possible from the time the mother is pregnant, to the time the child is born as a newborn and to continue on as long as possible. There are a few tips you can follow too that will make it easier to have an enjoyable read aloud every-day.

1. Establish A Routine

Dedicated a certain time each day for reading is a good way to establish a routine. Then, when it’s time, both parents and kids expect it, and as kids get older and have extra curricular activities they know they have something to set time for. All people thrive on a routine, and the same applies to children. In fact, reading every day in random times, makes children feel very unorganized. Stick to a routine and schedule if possible, and that’s a great way to start!

2. Pick Engaging & Age-Appropriate Books

Make sure to pick age appropriate books depending on what age the child is. You don’t want the kids to be too easy or too difficult for them to understand. Picture books are wonderful for babies, ABC’s and 123’s books are amazing for toddlers. When the books begin to have a longer text with pictures, I would say 3 and up is always good to remember and follow. Hopefully any book you pick is a good book. Rarely have I found a book that is for children, and it is not fun. However, if you want to be sure YOUR child/student likes it, give them options. Every child has his/her own taste. Let the child pick a book from a selection you have chosen, and that is a sure way to know they like it. It’s also a great way to make them feel more involved and they will happily be more involved in the read aloud.

3. Make it a Group Thing

As mentioned in the previous point, when children feel involved in the decisions or process they feel better about joining in. During the read aloud, let kids point to pictures, ask questions they may have, and make their own assumptions about the book. If this is done with more than one child, children can pair/share and discuss together about the book which encourages group collaboration which is a wonderful thing!

In the end, there’s nothing you can do that is classified as wrong. There is no right or wrong when reading. It’s all about knowing your audience and choosing wisely so that it ends up being an even better experience! So pick a time, a book and dive into strange and wonderful lands with your children and most importantly remember to have FUN with it! Happy Reading everyone! ❤