Do you ever wonder why your children don’t seem excited to grab books off of your shelves full of amazing and wonderful reads more frequently? Did your children, like mine, receive so many new books for the holidays that you’re not really sure what to do with them? Are you, like so many people these days, trying to embrace a more minimalist home? If the answer to any of these questions was yes, then read on for a wonderful solution… Continue reading “Why and How We Rotate Books”
Since I started my Instagram page at the end of July, the questions I get most often are related to how to use audiobooks with kids– when did we start, how do my kids listen, what books have they enjoyed, etc. So, at long last, here are answers to the questions I most frequently get about how our family does audiobooks!
Continue reading “How Our Family Uses Audiobooks”
One of the frustrations people most frequently voice to me centers around feeling like their children (or students) aren’t paying attention while listening to stories. But, literacy and brain research experts have shown that fidgeting or moving one’s body actually fired brain connections that help learning and listening happen more effectively? (Two of my favorites, Jim Trelease and Dr. Michael Gurian, have written about this if you’re interested in reading more).
So, what I’m saying is that read alouds don’t need to look perfect to be effective. In fact, if your goal is that all of your read-aloud sessions look like cozy cuddling times in a comfy chair in a well-lit room, your kids are going to be missing out on a lot of quality time with books! Instead, think about providing your children with quiet ways to occupy their hands and/or bodies, and see if it changes the duration or focus of your read-aloud time.
Continue reading “Keeping Hands and Bodies Busy While Listening to Stories”
Last week, I gave you a little information about the importance of reading aloud with children— of all ages. But believe me, I know that actually reading aloud to children isn’t always easy! So, today I’m sharing a few practical tips to make reading aloud to your children a little easier and, therefore, a little more fun for everyone involved!
Continue reading “Practical Tips for Making Read-Aloud Time Easier”
I was all set to do a post this week about things your kiddos can do while they listen to stories and books, but then it dawned on me… Before we talk about that, we need to address WHY those same children– children of all ages, even if they can already read to themselves– need to be listening to stories and books in the first place! So, did you know… Continue reading “The Importance of Reading Aloud to Children– of ALL Ages”
Did you know that one of the four factors present in the homes of nearly every early reader and student who responds easily to the first instruction in school includes (among other things) “displaying his paperwork in a prominent place in the home” (Jim Trelease, The Read-Aloud Handbook 7th Edition, page 33)? Luckily, a few years ago, a dear friend (thank you, Jenny!) introduced me to a pretty and extremely easy way to display the girls’ artwork and writing in our house. Continue reading “The Best Way to Display Kids’ Work”
Let’s talk about the importance of invented spelling! Did you know that invented spelling (when a child makes her best guess, without adult help, at a word based on their understanding of letters and sounds) is a completely normal developmental stage as preschoolers and young elementary schoolers learn to write? Invented spelling also has wonderful benefits for developing writers— and a connection was recently found with learning to read, too! Continue reading “The Importance of Invented Spelling”
Raise your hand if your kids LOVE to listen to the same book over and over again. Now be honest— how do you feel about reading those books over and over again? There are some that my husband and I truly enjoy during these repeated readings, but some that (admittedly) disappear to high shelves for a while so we can take a break from them…
But did you know those repeated readings serve a purpose? Continue reading “The Benefits of Repeated Readings”
When you think about reading with your little ones, remember that reading happens outside of traditional books, too! In fact, really important literacy development happens when children “read” and see adults reading a variety of print types— street signs, menus, directions, safety warnings… These all help children develop important literacy skills!
For infants, toddlers, and preschoolers, consider making your own picture book with photos of your child, his or her relatives, and special friends and places. Continue reading “An Engaging Way for Babies and Toddlers to “Read””
I love going to the library. And I love taking my girls to the library! They truly have a great time there, and we can find so many wonderful things to read while only paying late fees (which, by the way, you should look into— our library system just did away with fees for juvenile materials!). But man… I know those library visits with kids can be draining! I asked my Instagram followers about their biggest questions about or problems with going to the library with their children. This one is a long one, but read through it to see how our family has trouble-shot common difficulties to make library trips fun and enjoyable for all! Continue reading “Making Library Visits Fun and Easy with Little Ones”
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