The fondest memories I have are spending time reading chapter books, and then long novels aloud to my kids. These were times of intense shared experience, close emotional bonding as we snuggled up on the couch or the bed together, and certainly lots of laughter and conversation.
Most parents I know stop reading aloud to their kids when kids start reading for themselves. But in addition to the remarkable fun and closeness that reading aloud can foster there are very valid educational reasons for reading aloud, too.
The first reason is that when you read aloud, if you allow yourself, you can read with such expression that you can bring a story more alive than it would ever be otherwise. Playing with character voices, emphasizing important words in every sentence – you can infuse new meaning into books that kids think they have already read and understood. My kids still tease me about my Gollum voice from the Lord of the Rings, which was remarkably like the Dobby, the house elf in Harry Potter. But the truth is, at the time, I was bringing these little critters to life in a way that they’d never quite gotten reading to themselves. This hlds true for the early chapter books or the chapter books for second graders that you think they have full understanding of. Authors frequently lace in lots of fun stuff that you can bring out by reading aloud.
The second reason (beyond the emotional closeness which is the great big reason) to read aloud is that you can read works that are beyond your kids reading ability and stretch their minds. I think this point is so important, especially for kids who may be struggling readers, or reluctant readers. These kids especially benefit from being exposed to the world of books at the same pace as kids who are taking off and reading well above grade level. Their minds are just as ready to deal with the subject matter. In fact their minds are hungry - starving – for the goodness that’s in the chapter books and novels that their eyes or their brains may have physical challenges processing.
We homeschooled our kids. And I would say that 90% of what they permanently retained was information that was read aloud to them. My kids are all in their 20s and still to this day we can have long discussions about the Lord of the Rings trilogy, or The Boxcar Kids chapter book series, or Bill Bryson’s A Walk in the Woods, or To Kill a Mockingbird. Or you name it.
Reading chapter books and novels and even non-fiction aloud opens up your childs mind. If forges a bond of closeness. And it expands their emotional horizons in ways too important ever to miss. These are priceless moments that are waiting for you to open them up and enjoy them.
