Reading with your children is a special time that can light up their world through magical stories and colourful illustrations. It is important to take time to read aloud when our kids are little, but it is also beneficial as they grow up and become independent readers in the primary years.
In our household, we have established a family ritual of reading most nights just before bedtime. For me, it was a prerequisite in calming my energetic sons, aged 3 and 5, as they eventually drifted off to sleep. I vividly remember my husband attempting to read bedtime stories too, which would have quite the opposite effect. Instead, I could hear fits of laughter and giggles as their dad decided to change the ending of the story of the Three Little Pigs and allow the big bad wolf to enter the house. Their eyes lit up and there were squeals of sheer excitement as they were wrestled to the floor. Looking back with my 2 teenage boys, we can clearly see who was the more dramatic storyteller.
Reading together generates conversations and gives you shared quality time together. Although parents are busy juggling work and family, it is essential that we find the time to cosy up on the couch or snuggle up in bed and read together. Whether it is your child wanting you to read to them, or them reading aloud to you, it will certainly boost their confidence and make them feel loved and secure.
Remember to model reading fluently and use expression while discreetly acknowledging punctuation and pausing at full stops. In time, their vocabulary will flourish. Make sure you explore different genres and include a variety of fiction and non-fiction books. Keep it easy and fun.
Happy reading together!
Joanna Staikos
Director & Founder