Try these simple tips and tricks to help your child get the most out of reading aloud at home.
Reading aloud provides many different opportunities and benefits for young children, from building vocabulary to improving reading fluency.
Here are some simple tips and tricks for reading aloud with your child. You can also try programs like Reading Eggs, which make learning to read easy and fun! Sign up now for your free trial and unlock instant access to hundreds of online lessons and over 3000 e‑books, including read aloud options for toddlers.
This is the best practice your child can get to help them become a fluent reader.
If a book seems too difficult or easy, don't be afraid to stop and change books.
Make sure they are comfortable but not too comfortable – lying down may make them more inclined to fall asleep than listen.
Make sure you dedicate enough time to discuss the story with your child, and to answer and ask questions.
Alter your tone to suit the words on the page, make facial expressions to emphasise emotions and use hand gestures to add life to the story.
These kinds of books are often the most difficult to read aloud and listen to.
Don't start a new book and leave your child wondering what happens. If you don't finish a book in one reading session, try and leave off at a point in the story that will keep your child looking forward to what happens next.
Try and choose books that they will look forward to reading.
Children learn sounds and words through repetition, so reading a story multiple times will help commit these to memory.
Instead, ask questions and let them make their own mind up about a story.