Reading aloud to your children can be so wonderful. They sat entranced and hanging on every word
you utter. But do you only think of
reading to your younger children? Have
your older children not had that joy with you lately? Now is the time to begin reading aloud to
your older ones.
Stop! Don’t pick up a
Dr. Seuss book for these guys. Okay,
they might enjoy it, but it might be a little condescending. They need more meatier readings.
A great place to start is to see what is hot for young
readers today. Take the latest books
that are popular amongst your children and read it aloud to them. Even though they have read it, to hear it
read by another brings a whole new light to it.
Don’t toss out the idea of the “iffy” books. This might be a time to read to them and
explain issues within the text.
Another suggestion is to pick one of those “classics” that
they would never dream of picking up and show them that Rudyard Kipling and
Robert Louis Stevenson knew a thing or two about suspense and adventure. This is an excellent way to get them
interested in some of the older works. Children
have found that they love this “old” stories and learned that they are more
than mere words on a page.
As you are reading, avoid the temptation to get into
exaggerated voices as you do with the younger children. They love it.
The older ones probably will not.
Though do not let that deter you from having fun with a British accent
or imitating the evil old woman who is out to snare the ignorant young lad.
Reading aloud to your children should always be fun. Have them pick the book, or when to have the
reading time. Have a regular time set
aside in front of the fire or on the porch where you can enjoy the book. Take long books one chapter at a time. At the end of each chapter they will want to
hear more.
Do no rush your reading.
Let it come natural. Gather some
hot cocoa or a cool lemonade and spend some quality time together. Use this time to grow together. The whole family might find a whole new
hobby.
Here are a few ideas to get you started:
No comments:
Post a Comment