Over the years, I’ve talked a lot about reading, but recently, as I looked back, I realized I haven’t shared too much about reading withย olderย kids.
There are definitely some things parents need to know when it comes to reading aloud with bigger kids.
And since my kids are now 12, 10, and almost 9 years old (gasp!), I thought I’d share.
Did you know that the Scholastic Kids & Family Reading Report shared that 40% of kids ages 6-11 years old said that their parents no longer read aloud to them –but that they wished their parents still did?
I found that figure interesting.
Even though our kids are getting older, it doesn’t mean they don’t want their parents to read to them. I love it.
So friends, letโs do it.
I know itโs hard, though, right? Weโre so busy now that our kids are older. Weโre schlepping them from activity to activity, doing homework and projects, trying to manage a household and a job ourselves. When can we possibly fit in reading aloud to our older kids?
We can do it. I know we can. We can find time.
Here’s the skinny. . .
Reading Aloud to Bigger Kids — What Parents Need to Know:ย
We can find time because itโs that importantโand our kidsโand weโwill benefit from it.
But before you get all excited and find your kid and grab any ole book, I thought Iโd share a few things you should know.
1. Kids like funny books.
They really do. And why wouldnโt they?
Theyโre kidsโand theyโre silly.
The Scholastic Kids & Family Reading Report found that more than 91% of kids ages 6-17 say that their favorite books are the one they pick out themselves and the number one thing kids say want when reading for fun is a โbook that makes me laugh.โ Above all, kids want funny books; this was the top response of all kids at 70%.
So laugh together we will, right?
Here are a few of our favorite funny books that would work great for read alouds with bigger kids:
- Mr. Popperโs Penguins, by Richard Atwater and Florence Atwater
- Flora & Ulysses, by Kate DiCamillo
- The Strange Case of Origami Yoda, by Tom Angleberger
- Big Nate, by Lincoln Peirce
- Harry Potter and the Sorcererโs Stone, by J.K. Rowling
2. Kids want to know what you think.
They really do. So share what you think while youโre reading by doing just thatโthinking aloud.
Thinking aloud sounds fancy, but itโs really not. You simply read a bit, pause, and then share what youโre thinking.
You could comment about characters, settings, or actions. You could make connections, ask yourself questions, or make predictions. You could be serious, snarky, or silly.
Do whatever youโd normally do. Just share what youโre thinking.
You may find that your child comments back. You may find that your child just gives you the side eye. You may find that your child ignores you.
But the important thing is that your child will hear you interacting with the text. Your child will begin to understand and recognize (if he or she doesnโt know this already) that reading is an active process where the reader, text, and context all work together to make meaning.
And eventually if your child starts commenting backโagreeing or disagreeing with youโor adding his or her own thoughts, awesome!
3. Kids like consistency.
Whether you sneak in a few minutes of reading time before school or after school, after dinner or before bed, it doesnโt matter. Just find a time that works for you.
And stick with it.
Iโll be honest: this is where I am a huge failure. I start something and then life gets in the way, and I drop the ball. Weโll read for four days and then an activity will come up, the weekend will follow, and then we totally fall off-track.
But I do know that weโre working on it.
And I also know that itโs okay.
And I also know that even if we drop the ball for a few days, getting back into the book and talking through where we left off is okay. Itโs a helpful life skill, too, to think back, look at the text, and reacquaint ourselves with story. Right? Right.
Have something else to add? I’d love to hear it!
Please follow along with our daily reading tips:
Seriously, we’re that excited about having everyone #RaiseAReader, we’re shouting it from a mountaintop. If we can do it, you can do it, too!
Thatโs it, friends.
fyi: Aboutย The Kids & Family Reading Reportย — it’s a biannual report from Scholastic and managed by YouGov. Results are from a nationally representative survey with a total sample size of 2,558 parents and children including 506 parents of children age 0โ5, 1,026 parents of children age 6โ17, plus one child age 6โ17 from the same household. The survey was conducted during August and September, 2014. For the full methodology, see www.scholastic.com/readingreport.
Cheers, and happy reading during this incredibly exciting journey!
fyi: Some of the links in the post above are โaffiliate links.โ This means if you click on the link and purchase the item, I will receive an affiliate commission. Forever and always I recommend only products or services I use personally and believe will add value to my readers. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commissionโs 16 CFR, Part 255: โGuides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.โ ย For more information, please see teachmama media, llc. disclosure policy.ย
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