Read Alouds for Spring
Spring is here!
Despite how it feels outside your window today or inside your heart, the comforting reassurance that the seasons are changing is full of hope.
Pause and take note of what you observe today.
Listen to the birds singing and be mindful of the song coming alive in your heart.
Reflect on the reason for hope that you have in the newness of yet another season.
Remember God’s love is lavished upon you as the rain waters (or snow falls on) the ground.
Look for the creativity of the Creator all around you as the earth springs forth into color.
Happy Thought
“The world is so full of a number of things,
I’m sure we should all be as happy as kings.”
- A Child’s Garden of Verses, Robert Louis Stevenson
Let me share some encouraging news for you today, friends. Not all children want to sit still and listen to you read book after book. For those who are needing some ways to engage the hearts of your children during story time, here are some ideas we try in our home.
Start small. Don’t try to read more than one book at a time at first. Sitting and listening involves training their bodies to sit and their minds to attend to the words you are speaking.
Keep their hands busy. Let them play or do a quiet activity; for example, work on a puzzle, do legos, play with a figit toy, draw or color. Their hands may be busy, but their ears can be open.
Get cozy. I find that if I sit next to my kids with a cozy blanket they tend to sit for a few minutes longer.
Set boundaries. Have a blanket or a sleeping bag nearby. I use these for quiet time activities as well, but they tend to give boundaries for them that are clear and comforting while they listen.
Rotate books. Put the Winter books away and bring out the Spring books. Rotating by season is a good way to keep them fresh and exciting all year!
Read during snack time or bath time. You will have a captive audience!
Take it outside. Sometimes that fresh air just helps everything. I like to have my kids lay down and look up at the clouds while I read. Oh, if I only knew where their minds drifted off to during that time!
Act it out. Telling a short story like an Aesop’s Fable or Bible Story is fun to read and then assign parts, dress up and act out!
Narration not only can include listening and telling back what they just heard, but you can make it a game. Tell them you are going to read a page and then ask a question to see who is listening.
Allow them to be the illustrators. If it’s not a picture book, read a short story or a chapter and then give each child a white piece of paper. Ask them to draw a picture of what they imagined the scene looking like while you read. The kids love this activity and it’s fascinating to see how they each portray the story.
Here are a few of our family favorites for the season.
Preschool to Elementary
Have older children that don’t want to cuddle on the couch with you anymore?
Try reading a book together. My oldest wants me to read her favorite books so that we can discuss them and it’s a great way to connect.
Listen to Audible together on a family road trip and include everyone. I especially find when dad or another person is involved, they are more engaged.
Use peer pressure positively! My son and his best friend are always sharing what book they want to read next and talking about what chapter they are on, sharing their favorite parts, etc. Motivation like that can’t compare with mine!
Have a reading challenge either amongst siblings or against you! It’s great accountability. We log our minutes and at the end of the month we see who read the most. Rewards in the past have included buying a new book of their choice, or a trip to Half-Price Books. Make it fun and you will be sure to motivate.
Don’t forget about biographies! My preteen loves to read about the authors of some of her favorite books from childhood.
Middle to High School
For other resources and tips, I have enjoyed the Read-Aloud Revival resources, and know you will too! She has great book lists and suggestions to engage your kids so they love to read.
Don’t see one you absolutely adore? Share a favorite book or tip of yours!