11 Tips for Reading to Kids

July 1st, 2009

Okay - The books have all told you reading to your kids is essential for their development. You've got the copy of Goodnight Moon or Where the Wild Things Are or whatever in your hands. Your child is looking back at you expectantly. You take a deep breath...

Then what?

It should be natural. It should be easy. It should be simple. Reading to your kids is not hard. And yet, there are many of us who feel a little weird being the centre of attention all of a sudden. We're not actors and we're not politicians and making a command performance when you've had a busy day isn't necessarily how you wanted to spend your evening.

But take my word for it: While there are plenty of things in life that don't deserve your full attention, you don't want to phone this in. Reading to your kids creates a bond like no other.

Here we'll cover the basics - 11 how-to tips and tricks making reading to your kids easy and fun for you, while keeping them engaged. After a couple of books you'll wonder why you ever thought you could live without doing this every night.

Set a time

Life works around schedules, there's no real way around that. But if you can make that 3pm with your client, you can make your 8pm with your child. If you can't read that night, make sure you have a deal with your spouse so that he/she can take over. But if bedtime is a hard and fast rule, so should it be with storytime. This has the added bonus of giving structure to your child's day without making it seem too rigid. If you both have the time, try reading to your kids together!

Relax

So you've sat down with the book, but your mind is racing in 15 different directions for all the things you have to do tomorrow. Take a breath, clear your mind and chill. For the next 20 minutes or so, it's just you and your child. Make it about your family and the story - The real world will still be there for you when you turn off the bedroom light and walk out.

Slow Down

We have a tendency to rush through things that we see as "optional" or a "chore." Reading to your child is neither. You're here to read, so give it your all! Take your time with the words, show your child the pictures and let them turn the pages. There's no finish line to cross, so pace yourself.

Do the silly voices

Oh, the voices! I started reading to my child when she was still in the womb, and I'll tell you it's hard not to feel like an idiot talking like the Queen of Hearts to a bellybutton. But you know what? That passes, and pretty soon you find yourself working on your technique. Fooling around with accents, pitch and stutters is a great way to keep the books fresh for you and riveting for your child. You'll find your own stress melt away as you get caught up in your one-person play.

Do the sound effects

Just like doing the voices, sound effects can enhance the reading experience like no other. What does the airplane flying overhead sound like? What kind of noises do elephants make as they crash through the jungle? Be inventive - it's what storytellers have been doing for centuries!

Speak Loud and soft, quick and slow

Varying your speech is a fantastic way of holding an audience's attention for long periods of time. Actors and politicians use these techniques all the time. Whisper and your child leans in to hear you better. Switch to a louder, confident voice and the story changes with you. Read through an action sequence quickly (but clearly) and everything becomes more intense. But a pleasant description of a tropical beach can read more leisurely. The trick is to vary it up and stay away from a boring monotone style.

Learn together

It happens - You're reading to your child, you come across a word like 'treacle' and a tiny voice asks "What does that mean?" And you realize you don't know either. Perfect! Don't let it throw you. Kids need to learn that you may not have all the answers, but you know where to get them. Have a little kids-sized pocket dictionary on the shelf that you can crack open and find out together what the word means. By the way: 'Treacle is the generic name for any syrup made during the refining of sugar cane.'

Go off script

A technique for improvisers: Sometimes you need to go left when the story goes right. There' s nothing wrong with inventing parts of a story that's right in front of you. What if the story takes place on a street that looks like yours? Or the hero has a pet cat instead of a pet dog, one that bears a remarkable likeness to the one sitting on the bed. Or what if the hero's name is the name of your child? Whatever the case, these stories become personal as soon as you read them anyway. Improvise and see where it takes you!

Your Books

They're the books you grew up with - If you haven't read them in years, here is the opportunity! Reconnect with old friends and grand adventures by reading your favourite stories to a new generation. In turn, your children will keep these books alive by reading to their children.

Their Books

We never truly grow up, and what better excuse to indulge in reading a new kids book than to read to kids of your own! Scour bookstores and libraries to find those special titles - New to you, new to your children, but soon to be a part of your family.

Have fun!

Although it's a responsibility to read to your kids, it's not a chore! Like many things in life, you get out what you put in and storytime is no different. So find a special book to share, learn and laugh together and always, always, do the silly voices!


David Tilgner is the president of Skratch Publishing Inc., and a regular contributor to the Skratch Blog. His favourite kids book is 'Alice in Wonderland' by Lewis Carroll.