Reading Aloud to Children

If you're not used to doing it, reading out loud to your children can be a daunting task. What happens if the child gets bored? What if they fidget or wander off? What if you stumble on words you don't know or read something wrong?

Here are a few hints and tips to make storytime fun for you and your children!

The most important thing is for you all to get comfortable.

It's easy if it's bedtime, as you can prop up the pillow and wrap your children in your arms as you read. This is good, as it means that you can hold the book at such an angel as you can all see it and your children will feel cosy and at ease.

As you read, leave plenty of time after sentences or the end of the page for the children to explore the pictures - a lot of picturebooks have quite complicated scenes, which often tell the story more than the words that you read out (Rosie's Walk is a classic example of this).

If you see something in the picture that you think is relevant to the story, or that adds something (like a shocked expression or a hidden animal), then point it out: that shows the children that you're involved in the story too (and that you're enjoying it).

Many picturebooks have one or two repeated phrases throughout the book - when you come to them, pause and then say them dramatically (that doesn't always mean with a special voice - it can just mean that you say it more loudly). When they crop up the next time, you can point to the words and encourage the children to repeat them. If it's the first time you've read the book, then you could get them to say it again after you've said it, this encourages them to join in. The next time you read the book, they'll remember that there's a bit they can join in with and that will add to their excitement!

If you are good at animal noises, then use them in stories involving animals. The baa-ing or moo-ing encourages the children to make the noises too! If you're not sure what noise the animal would make, then say "ooh, I wonder what noise that animal makes....". The tone you use will sound like you're helping the children join in: they won't know that you don't know the noise yourself.

You don't have to give each character a different voice if you're not confident doing it (I sometimes try to, then I forget how the character sounded, or forget to do it the next time they speak!), but if you can do voices, then add them in: it will make the children laugh and it adds a little something extra to the story.

It's important that you enjoy telling the story as much as they enjoy listening to it, so don't worry if you get the words wrong or miss something out - just take a deep breath and carry on.

The more you read out loud, the easier it will become.

Andrea

22a High Street

Sittingbourne

ME10 4PD