I’ll admit it. I love to read to my kids. And interestingly enough, they love it too. Even my teenage son. Reading to my kids is my favorite aspect of homeschooling, which is why we tend to lean toward literature-based studies. Aside from the academic aspects of it; grammar, spelling, vocabulary, etc., my kids love to simply snuggle on the couch and listen to a good book. I choose books that are a few grade levels above their reading level for the challenge of it. They enjoy the story lines of books that they aren’t ready to read on their own. I think they also secretly enjoy the family bonding time.
Reading is a lifestyle. If you want your children to become good readers, read yourself. Even when my kids were just toddling around, my husband and I would make it a point to not spend every evening on our devices, but with a book in hand. We aren’t much into watching television but being on the Internet is something we could easily get sucked into while trying to relax after a long day. We would have to be intentional about having our kids seeing us read books, because we knew that as they grew that they would follow suit. And they have.
While young, we found it was important to read to them, even when they were at the age where it was difficult for them to sit still. With two-year-olds that have no attention span whatsoever, I would leaf through simple board books and picture books without even reading the words. We would simply point out what images were on the pages in an “I Spy” fashion. Once they were able to focus a little longer, I would make up a story based on the pages and then finally get to the point where I could read them short books.
The age of three is when I would let them begin telling me stories based on the pictures and then begin reading them longer stories and asking them questions about them. At age four I begin to pick out sight words for them to read out loud. I would read most of the story but pause and let them read those key sight words. Age five is usually (some kids were younger and others a little older) when they would begin reading on their own. This is the best feeling in the world. Watching your child read for the first time. I wouldn’t trade it for anything. Age five is when we work through the basic readers and then we move on and begin reading picture books.
As children get a little older they actually begin reading on their own, for fun! Even when my children get to this age, I still read to them. We read together as a family, I have each child read to me at their own reading level and I have the older ones read once in a while to read to the younger ones. We are a reading family. If a child can read then they can learn how to study and research rather than depending on everything they are being told, which is key before heading out into college or the workforce. Read with your children today!
