While reading aloud to kids, there are a few things that can make your reading time more enjoyable and more beneficial. In addition to providing your kids with loving memories, reading aloud to them also gives you a chance to exhibit the strategies that good readers use. But sometimes it is easy to fall into simple read aloud mistakes. These are easy to fix, and will help you to get more out of your reading time!

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Not reviewing the book

Before you read a book to your kids, it can be a good idea to review it first. We have received a couple of books that I was not familiar with, which I was glad to have reviewed before we read them together. Whether the book deals with topics that you aren’t prepared to discuss with your kids, or the text includes language that you aren’t comfortable with, it can be helpful to read ahead first. If your kids are young enough, you can get away with changing a few words if you find something that you disagree with in the text. But be careful doing this with eagle eyed established readers!

Related Post: Tips for Reading with Kids

Not asking questions

One of the best ways to engage kids in stories and get them interested in reading is to ask questions while you read. This can be easy to do and flow naturally during reading time. Simple questions like asking them what will happen next, or what they see in the illustrations can pull them into the story. You can also ask them what they would do if they were in the same situation as the characters in the book. These questions can open conversations with your kids, and show them that asking questions is a part of being a good reader.

Ignoring the illustrations

The illustrations can play a big part of the story in picture books, especially for very young kids. Don’t underestimate the power of the illustrations. Spend time on each page discussing what you see in the pictures and how they add to the story. Utilize wordless picture books or picture books with very little text and tell the story together, using only the illustrations to guide you. This is a great way to start looking at the illustrations differently and putting more focus on them.

Not re-reading the same stories over and over

It can be difficult to reread the exact same story over and over again, every single night. I have definitely hidden a few books after the 600th reading, to be found again at a later date. But there are tons of benefits to re-reading a story. During each reading, kids can pick up on different things, and can start to recall more details each time. They will soon be able to retell the story in their own way, and can start to fill in the words while being read to, especially if there is a good rhyme scheme.

Related Post: 5 Things Experts Don’t Tell You About Reading to Kids

Not letting kids join in

Reading to kids doesn’t have to mean you are directly reading to them without any stopping. While sometimes it is easy for kids to get off track and not focus on the story, it isn’t always a bad thing to let kids jump in and take part in the story themselves. Let your reading time become more free flowing, and everyone will feel a bit more relaxed.

What do you think are the worst read aloud mistakes? Share them in the comments!

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