Reading Aloud

Reading aloud is a great way to inspire family togetherness, conversation, imagination, and more. Do you have what it takes to read to a group? What are the benefits of reading aloud?

Reading aloud sounds simple. You sit down, gather a group (kids, adults, family, friends...whoever you want!) and start reading.

Actually, it takes more than that.

Find a good spot to sit down.

Really. Are you reading for a long time? You probably won't want to sit in a hardwood chair because you'll get sore eventually, Choose a couch or bed instead. Maybe even a comfy, plush chair. If you're reading for a short time, don't get snuggled up in a blanket quite yet because you'll be done quickly. Who wants to get out of that warm fuzzy blanket? Think about how large of a group you're reading to. Maybe reading outside will be more open than reading inside.

Where you sit is your own decision, but the way you read depends on your group.

Say you're reading to a bunch of toddlers. They probably won't want to hear a lecture-style voice. They'll want to hear an exciting and adventurous voice. Otherwise, they might lose interest and not want to be read aloud to often. If you're reading to older kids, they will probably want a less babied voice. Keep in mind that some older kids still have shorter attention spans.

What if you're reading to adults? Adults can listen to a wide variety of voices depending on what they are listening to. Adults have a larger attention span than children.

Tip: Try to pick an appropriate book for the audience (scroll down to the section What books should I read? for ideas).

Now that you know where and how to read aloud, let's talk about the benefits of reading aloud to children and family.

When you read aloud to kids, you inspire imagination. They don't have to worry about pronouncing hard words and looking at the page. They just have to listen, and that gives them a chance to let their mind wander a bit more. Even though reading by yourself (especially for older kids) sparks almost limitless imagination, kids don't really have to work on reading the book. They just sit back and relax.

Okay, okay, this does sound like an audiobook. Why not just get an audiobook for the kids and save the trouble? First of all, it costs money. Reading aloud saves money if you use a book you already own.

But what if an audiobook is cheaper than a new book?

Reading aloud to the family inspires family togetherness, and unlike an audiobook, conversation. Getting a book read aloud by a family member is much more fun and interesting than a stranger or robot voice on an audiobook.

What books should I read?

Here are some suggestions for read-alouds (click each image for their review):

For little kids:

For older kids and adults (the Tuttle Twins is a good series for older kids, too):

Have fun reading new books and exploring the exciting realm of read alouds!

📚Miss Liber