As parents, we know that reading to our kids is so important, yet when life gets busy it can be hard to find the time. We built read-aloud time into the kids’ bedtime routines, but I admit that by that time of night I’m tired and it can feel like a chore.
Lately though I’ve found ways to make read-aloud time fit into other parts of our day, and it’s something I’ve been enjoying a lot more lately. Here are a few ideas that have been working for us to have more read-aloud time this year.
Embrace short pockets of time. Finding longer stretches of time to sit down and read can feel impossible, but picking up a book when you have 10 or 15 minutes feels more doable. Keep a stack of books in the main living area of your house, and if you have a few minutes while dinner is in the oven, or during that time when kids are starting to get cranky but it’s not quite bedtime yet, sit down and start reading–it can be a nice distraction during a busy time of day.
Let them play. Some kids can’t sit still, even during the most exciting story, but stillness isn’t a requirement for read-aloud time, at least not at my house. I will read to Jona and Violet while they’re playing with Legos, doing puzzles, or doing other quiet activities. We can read for much longer if they’re occupied (especially Violet), than if I tried to get them to sit still.
Don’t worry about choosing the perfect book for everyone. If you have kids of varying ages, it feels impossible to find books to please everyone. While I do try to find books that I know Violet will like when I read to just her, when I’m looking for books that we’ll read together, I aim for ones that are more suited for Jona’s age. Violet sometimes loses interest, but even if she’s playing and doesn’t look like she’s paying attention, she’s still soaking up some of the story.
Choose books YOU like too. I feel like we forget this sometimes and think that we should base our choice on our kids’ tastes and no one else’s. But if you don’t like what you’re reading, read-aloud time will feel forced and you won’t want to do it. If you enjoy the book too, you’ll be much more motivated to make time for reading together.
Push your (library’s) limits. I try to keep a regular rotation of library books at our house so that we always have plenty of options to choose from. We usually have a bunch of picture books, as well as a longer chapter book for us to read together. Every library is different, but most will let you check out a surprisingly high number of books at once. Take advantage of that so you never run out of something to read.
Right now we’re reading Adventures with Waffles, and Jona and I are listening to The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe on audio while we wait in the drop-off line in the mornings. What are you reading aloud at your house?
