by Janny Jackson
Disclaimer: I only recommend products I would use myself and all opinions expressed here are my own. This post may contain affiliate links that I may earn a small commission from, at no additional cost to you. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. You may read my full disclaimer here.
I have a confession: I’m not a fun mom.
I’m not the mom that sits down on the floor and plays with my kids. I genuinely have a hard time doing it. I run out of ideas for storylines while playing Barbies, and I just am not creative enough to build an amazing creation out of Lego. I also feel incredibly bogged down with other responsibilities and chores that need to get done during the day while trying to play with the kids; it’s hard for me to truly focus on playing when there’s always so much to do.
One of my favorite things to do with my kids is to read to them. It is something I’ve done with them since they were infants. I started reading simple chapter books like Magic Tree House to them regularly when my oldest son, now 9, was in kindergarten. I would sit down in his room with him and his sister and try my best to get through a couple pages while they played quietly around me.
I started homeschooling in my oldest son’s first grade year, you can read more about our story here, and since then have really honed in on my reading aloud skills and have really noticed and been thankful for how that time with my kids has evolved and not only grown all of us together but also grown us as individuals.
I’ve been ruminating lately on the benefits of reading aloud to your kids. Having caught a glimpse of them firsthand in my own children I’ve seen how incredibly beneficial and important those learned skills are to develop early on in their lives, and how they can carry the skills learned into their adult lives.
Increased attention span
Obviously, the younger kids are the shorter their attention span is. But I do believe attention span is a learned skill. If one is never challenged to focus on something for a certain or extended amount of time that skill will not grow. I have seen this in my own kids. When they were younger, they could only focus on the pages in a children’s board book. The more I have read to them the longer they have been able to focus on books with either lengthier pages or more pages like a chapter book.
My four-year-old is now able to focus and play quietly while I read from several books every morning before school because he has had to be involved in our daily read alouds since we homeschool in our downstairs living room/dining room area. This skill has grown in him now to the point that he not only can focus on what I am reading but can answer comprehension type questions when asked (depending on the subject of course).
This skill is not perfected in my kids, and I do not expect it to be. They do sometimes need reminders to stay focused while playing quietly, but as this skill grows the needed reminders will lessen. Don’t let anyone tell you that kids shouldn’t be expected to focus and use their age as an excuse for a lack of attention span. We obviously need to be realistic about the time frame in which we can hold their attention span, and some days are better than others, but this skill can grow no matter the age of the child. It is our job as parents to grow this skill in our children, a skill they will use and need for the rest of their lives.
Exposure to wide variety of vocabulary
The more you read to your kids the more you will encounter different types of writings from different types of writers on different levels. With this your kids will be exposed to a wide range of words, some that you can explain the definition of quickly while reading and some that you actually may have to look up the definition for.
While it is important to read books on your child’s grade level it is also just as important to read books above their grade level (yet still age appropriate) to expose them to different types of genres and words. Doing this over time will expand their own vocabulary in speaking and in writing.
Practice quiet time
This is another skill that I believe can grow beyond a child’s age or grade level. We school in our home which is an environment where they can be themselves, as silly and loud as they are. My kids don’t have the experience of leaving the house and walking into a classroom daily where a different set of rules and behaviors are expected of them. So, it is my job, not only as their parent but also as their teacher, to teach and grow this skill in them.
This is a skill that is stretched more specifically while we homeschool, but sometimes put into effect during non-school hours or days. Momma needs a break from the bickering every once in a while, can I get an amen?!
There is a time to be silly and loud and there is a time to be quiet and observant. I’m not saying ‘silent’; the only times kids are silent is when they are sleeping. Learning appropriate voice level in different environments is a life skill that kids will carry into adulthood, and it is something they should be learning from very young onward.
Reading aloud to your kids is a great way to practice and grow those quiet time skills.
Active Listening Skills/Comprehension Skills
This is one of the most satisfying parts of reading aloud to your children. I love asking my kids questions about what I have read, whether it was a page or a chapter, to see what they have comprehended from the reading. In order to comprehend the reading they must first be an active listener.
What helps a child be an active listener? Quiet activities! Kids are not naturally still or quiet. But I have found the best way to get my kids to be both is to give them something quiet to do while I read. Puzzles, wooden blocks, Lego, alphabots, and magnet activities are a few of our favorites that help to keep the little hands busy while ears are listening. It also helps to keep distractions at bay while they focus on their quiet activity.
Imagination and creativity
I have read dozens of books to my kids over the years. There are a few that specifically stand out to me as far as use of imagination and creativity. Remember how I said that I feel like I am not very creative? Some books we read really make me question, “How did they (the writer) come up with this?” Two of my favorites off of the top of my head are Mary Poppins and The Green Ember.
When kids are exposed to creative problems and solutions, unique characters and story plots, it transfers into their own verbal storytelling, writings, and drawings. I would also go so far as to say that it really helps them to think past the impossible. It can help children that get easily overwhelmed or are afraid to make mistakes by going back and remembering that one character that had a problem in the story and was able to overcome it.
My daughter draws nearly everything around her. I’ve often seen her bring into her drawings things from our read aloud for the day. My son is an amazingly creative Lego builder and I’ve seen him bring in parts of our daily read aloud into his builds and the story behind the build. It’s really fun as a parent to see how their world and thought process is expanding just from being read aloud to.
Reading aloud can be such a bonding experience for you and your children. If you are consistent in this practice (because consistency is key) you will begin to see these benefits growing in your children as well.
What’s your favorite part about reading aloud to your kids? What have been your favorite read alouds? Tell me below, and as always, thanks for being here!