Journey into Reading Aloud with Big Kids

Today is World Read Aloud Day. Both my oldest and I were sick, but we had the pleasure of making lemonade out of lemons by spending the sick day reading Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone together. 

Yes, she can read on her own. Yes, she is an independent reader. However, I thoroughly enjoy spending time each day reading with her. Why should you continue to read aloud with your child after they become independent readers? In celebration of Read Aloud Month, I thought I would share some of the reasons I think it benefits both the parent and the child. 

1. We often read picture books because pictures sometimes tell stories that are too complicated for words. A perfect example of this concept is the wordless picture book- Journey by Aaron Becker. Loneliness of a child is perfectly captured in this captivating book. The images speak to my 8 year-old in a way that words cannot, at least not yet.

 

2. After a long day at school and all sorts of required reading, it helps my daughter unwind to read simple picture books with her younger sister and me. These simple stories that we choose after challenging reading all day leave positive impressions of the reading experience. 

3. Reading picture books aloud creates a confidence in my daughter as a reader. Picture books contain a cadence and rhythm that empowers her reading to sound like natural conversation. 

4. Reading aloud with my eight year-old gives her permission to continue being a kid. I select books that will keep childhood magical. 

5. Reading aloud books that contain pictures gives a great opportunity to discuss artwork and the process of creating illustrations with older kids. We often talk about what we think the illustrator used to paint or create the pictures. We discuss how different colors bring different emotions to life. 

Do you still read aloud with your big kid? For more information about the importance of reading aloud, check out this infographic from Read Aloud 15 Minutes. Below is the link so you can download it yourself.

 http://readaloud.org/downloads.html 

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