Love this post. I'm so passionate about reading aloud to my kiddos and have done it ever since my 9.5 year old son was a few months old. My son and I have been reading chapter books for a few years now. He's a very voracious reader and has just recently started preferring to just have his own reading time each evening which is kind of sad, but I think we just need to find another book that grabs his (and my) interest the same way the Harry Potter series did ... he's feeling a bit like no books will measure up to those! But I've just started reading chapter books to my 5y/o daughter and I suggested to him that he come and join and he hasn't missed a chapter yet! We're reading The Trumpet of the Swan by E.B. White and we're all enjoying it so far - its no Harry Potter but it's such a sweet story, I think I like it more than Charlotte's Web so far!
My parents were deaf, so reading aloud wasn't part of my childhood but I loved reading growing up, and I occasionally read aloud books to my younger sisters. I can't really explain why I feel so passionately about reading aloud to my kids. There are just so so many benefits to it, not least of all the connection you share as you read together ❤️
Would love to see a list of read aloud chapter book recommendations!
I think my dad only read aloud the Harry Potter series to us, but it's such a happy memory! I have been reading aloud to my kids before bed since my oldest was 3.5 and now she's almost 13. I have three girls (ages 12, 10, and 8) and then two boys (ages 6 and 4). Last year, the girls and I read through all the Anne of Green Gables books and this year we're working through the Betsy-Tacy series. I absolutely *love* sharing my childhood favorites with them. I'm thinking Little Women is next! My husband reads to the boys - they read the first few books of the Little House series and are now working their way through Narnia - currently on the Voyage of the Dawn Treader!
This makes me so happy, Caitlin! Would you believe I've never read Little Women?! A friend recommended I start reading it the day after Christmas and finish it before the New Year (apparently that's a thing?) and so that's my plan!
Way to go! Thanks for sharing. Reading aloud is an anchor point for our family too! My oldest has reading struggles, so read-alouds provide so much that she can’t get from her personal reading (yet!) Right now we are reading aloud the Lord of the Rings and it is unexpectedly leading us into a kind of “Tolkien School!” I am super excited about where this is taking us and I plan to be recording the journey here.
For us, the key is definitely choosing books we can't WAIT to get back into - we somehow always find time if we all are desperate to see what happens next! :)
I read to my 2 kids every night, probably through second grade. At a certain point I became too tired as a single homeschool mom (who was working and going back to college)—so I invested in Wrinkle in Time in audiobook. And we **all** loved it! Fortunately, our library system is stunning and had a huge selection of YA audiobooks. Lemony Snicket, Harry Potter, Percy Jackson … all found their way into our collective experience as a family.
I was always a voracious reader as a child, but have no memory of a parent reading to me. An uncle taught me to read at age 4 and my grandmother kept me stocked with library books.
Such a great post! My parents never read aloud to me beyond the picture book years, but this is something I would love to stick to with my kids as they grow older. At this current stage of life I find that by the time it is bedtime we (the kids or myself!) are a little too maxed out for anything other than a short picture book. But several mornings a week the kids might wake up early and come downstairs where I am reading my Bible and will join me to read aloud Little Pilgrims Progress. Those early morning times are so special! We also will listen to a lot of audio books in the car or while doing simple things around the house (coloring, folding laundry together, etc.). We are listening through the whole Little House series and while I am not reading it aloud to them, I feel like it has a lot of the same benefits you mentioned as a shared literary experience! I loved reading other's recommendations in the comments!
We are still working our way through Little Pilgrim's Progress in the mornings! Hoping to finish it by the end of November so that we can read the new version of A Christmas Carol by the same illustrator!
Love this. My mom read aloud to my brother and I well into middle school... maybe even high school? And I loved it and those are "core memories" in so many ways. It's funny because when I think of reading aloud to my kids, I think of 4th-8th grade, not young children (though I certainly read aloud to them now and love it too).
Some of my favorite read-alouds as an older were The Witch of Blackbird Pond; Carry on, Mr. Bowditch; The Door in the Wall; and the Golden Goblet.
Have I ever told you my mom still reads aloud to us and I am nearing 40?! On mornings before the kids wake up while we are having our coffee, she'll regularly ask to read aloud a psalm or a devotion to start our day. So it was never a thought that I wouldn't read to my kids as long as they would sit and let me read to them. It's such a joy and Laura (10) still says it's her favorite way to end a day. My favorite read aloud to date it Anne Of Green Gables for all of the reasons you mentioned above! A close second is The Wingfeather Saga which we are in the midst of now! :-)
Love this post. I'm so passionate about reading aloud to my kiddos and have done it ever since my 9.5 year old son was a few months old. My son and I have been reading chapter books for a few years now. He's a very voracious reader and has just recently started preferring to just have his own reading time each evening which is kind of sad, but I think we just need to find another book that grabs his (and my) interest the same way the Harry Potter series did ... he's feeling a bit like no books will measure up to those! But I've just started reading chapter books to my 5y/o daughter and I suggested to him that he come and join and he hasn't missed a chapter yet! We're reading The Trumpet of the Swan by E.B. White and we're all enjoying it so far - its no Harry Potter but it's such a sweet story, I think I like it more than Charlotte's Web so far!
My parents were deaf, so reading aloud wasn't part of my childhood but I loved reading growing up, and I occasionally read aloud books to my younger sisters. I can't really explain why I feel so passionately about reading aloud to my kids. There are just so so many benefits to it, not least of all the connection you share as you read together ❤️
Would love to see a list of read aloud chapter book recommendations!
Love these reflections, friend! Chapter book recommendations coming up, but in the meantime you can see the first installment here! https://emformarvelous.com/our-favorite-family-read-alouds-part-one/
I think my dad only read aloud the Harry Potter series to us, but it's such a happy memory! I have been reading aloud to my kids before bed since my oldest was 3.5 and now she's almost 13. I have three girls (ages 12, 10, and 8) and then two boys (ages 6 and 4). Last year, the girls and I read through all the Anne of Green Gables books and this year we're working through the Betsy-Tacy series. I absolutely *love* sharing my childhood favorites with them. I'm thinking Little Women is next! My husband reads to the boys - they read the first few books of the Little House series and are now working their way through Narnia - currently on the Voyage of the Dawn Treader!
This makes me so happy, Caitlin! Would you believe I've never read Little Women?! A friend recommended I start reading it the day after Christmas and finish it before the New Year (apparently that's a thing?) and so that's my plan!
Way to go! Thanks for sharing. Reading aloud is an anchor point for our family too! My oldest has reading struggles, so read-alouds provide so much that she can’t get from her personal reading (yet!) Right now we are reading aloud the Lord of the Rings and it is unexpectedly leading us into a kind of “Tolkien School!” I am super excited about where this is taking us and I plan to be recording the journey here.
Yes, Katherine! I love that my children can learn from and enjoy things they might never read on their own!
❤️
Can’t wait to hear the list of books! We were doing this with our 8 year old and 5 year old but fell out of practice. We loved fudgamania!
For us, the key is definitely choosing books we can't WAIT to get back into - we somehow always find time if we all are desperate to see what happens next! :)
I read to my 2 kids every night, probably through second grade. At a certain point I became too tired as a single homeschool mom (who was working and going back to college)—so I invested in Wrinkle in Time in audiobook. And we **all** loved it! Fortunately, our library system is stunning and had a huge selection of YA audiobooks. Lemony Snicket, Harry Potter, Percy Jackson … all found their way into our collective experience as a family.
I was always a voracious reader as a child, but have no memory of a parent reading to me. An uncle taught me to read at age 4 and my grandmother kept me stocked with library books.
Love this, Kim! ❤️
Such a great post! My parents never read aloud to me beyond the picture book years, but this is something I would love to stick to with my kids as they grow older. At this current stage of life I find that by the time it is bedtime we (the kids or myself!) are a little too maxed out for anything other than a short picture book. But several mornings a week the kids might wake up early and come downstairs where I am reading my Bible and will join me to read aloud Little Pilgrims Progress. Those early morning times are so special! We also will listen to a lot of audio books in the car or while doing simple things around the house (coloring, folding laundry together, etc.). We are listening through the whole Little House series and while I am not reading it aloud to them, I feel like it has a lot of the same benefits you mentioned as a shared literary experience! I loved reading other's recommendations in the comments!
We are still working our way through Little Pilgrim's Progress in the mornings! Hoping to finish it by the end of November so that we can read the new version of A Christmas Carol by the same illustrator!
I just saw A Christmas Carol recently - so cool!! I feel like the illustrations every few pages have helped keep my younger listeners engaged!
Love this. My mom read aloud to my brother and I well into middle school... maybe even high school? And I loved it and those are "core memories" in so many ways. It's funny because when I think of reading aloud to my kids, I think of 4th-8th grade, not young children (though I certainly read aloud to them now and love it too).
Some of my favorite read-alouds as an older were The Witch of Blackbird Pond; Carry on, Mr. Bowditch; The Door in the Wall; and the Golden Goblet.
Love this, Abigail!! And thank you for those read aloud suggestions - some new ones for me!
Yes! Yes! Yes! We are the same friend!
Have I ever told you my mom still reads aloud to us and I am nearing 40?! On mornings before the kids wake up while we are having our coffee, she'll regularly ask to read aloud a psalm or a devotion to start our day. So it was never a thought that I wouldn't read to my kids as long as they would sit and let me read to them. It's such a joy and Laura (10) still says it's her favorite way to end a day. My favorite read aloud to date it Anne Of Green Gables for all of the reasons you mentioned above! A close second is The Wingfeather Saga which we are in the midst of now! :-)
Love this so much ❤️ Hoping to read Anne of Green Gables in the spring!