How to Read With a Child

Regularly sharing books with your child is one of the best ways to ensure their long-term literacy success! In addition to being a wonderful bonding activity, reading to your child strengthens literacy skills, expands vocabulary and builds empathy.  

According to Scholastic’s Kids & Family Reading Report, 80% of kids 6 to 17 agree that being read to is a special time with their parents. Yet only 17% of parents of kids 9 to 11 read aloud to their children. 

General tips for reading aloud:

Try these reading tips with different ages to make reading fun and effective!

  • Let your child to choose books that interest them — especially as they get older
  • Talk about the pictures as you read
  • Build  by focusing on and talking about new words
  • Connect the story to your child’s world
  • Ask questions about the story and encourage your child to ask what they are wondering about
  • Make reading aloud a regular part of your routine — just 20 minutes each day can make a big difference in raising a reader.
  • 20 minutes of reading a day doesn't have to be all at one time; especially with young children reading a little bit at a time is great, too! 

Find tips for reading out loud with children of different ages here: 

Did you know reading aloud with your child is just what the doctor ordered? It's true! The American Academy of Pediatrics reports that "Reading regularly with young children stimulates optimal patterns of brain development and strengthens parent-child relationships at a critical time in child development, which, in turn, builds language, literacy, and social-emotional skills that last a lifetime."

You can read aloud to a child at any age (even babies and big kids!). Reading aloud with children is linked to many great outcomes:

  • Expanded knowledge and vocabulary
  • Improved attention span and memory
  • Increased curiosity and imagination
  • Greater self-esteem, empathy, and confidence
  • Stronger family bonds
  • Higher educational achievement and quality of life
 
For more information and resources to support reading aloud with your child, visit: