How to Actively Read

With having two younger children one of my favorite times of the day is when we snuggle up in a chair or bed and read a book or two. It seems like everything is calm when we are surrounded by books. Granite, I know this isn't always the case or picture perfect.

Believe me, I've been there, especially when my children were babies. Even in the midst of the wiggles and distraction I've always made it a point to actively read with my kids.

What does it mean to actively read with your child?

When you actively read, you can do a handful of things. These may be things you already do and may not realize it. What's great about this is it seems natural and doesn't change things up a too much but makes a huge difference for your child.

When we actively read with our children, we can start by setting a tone for what we are reading. Before reading a story talk about what is already known if your child is old enough. Or share a new piece of information or give your child a few keywords to listen for in the story. Maybe you're reading about dinosaurs and a new word is in the story. Tell your child the word and tell them to listen for it in the story. They will stay engaged in the story to hear that word.

One strategy that I use at home and in the classroom is doing a picture walk. This can be done quickly and quietly with any picture book. I simply tell them that they get a little preview of the book by looking at the pictures before we read. I tell them not to read any of the words but to just look at each picture. I spend a few seconds on each page and then move to the next. This takes about a minute or less. This creates excitement and curiosity in our children. Try this the next time you read a picture book. I guarantee they'll love it!

There are so many ways we can actively read with our children and students. It doesn't have to be the same all the time and still can be just as beneficial as the time before. Give it a shot and let me know if you see an impact.