At Read to Them, it is our vision to create a culture of literacy in every community. We are dedicated to helping families foster a positive relationship with reading and to laying a foundation that ensures children maintain a lifelong love of books. In just one step to see this vision become a reality, we are thrilled to announce the release of a Family Resources page on our website!
This new feature will provide families with a wealth of valuable information to enhance their reading experience.
You can now visit the Family Resources page by clicking here! You can also find the Family Resources page by going to the small gray bar at the very top of our website and clicking “Family Resources” (between the Read Aloud to a Child Week and Blog). First, though, you may appreciate a walkthrough of everything you’ll find on the page. Let’s get started!
Reading Tips
If you’ve never read a book aloud before, the prospect can seem pretty daunting– but we’re here to help. Our team has outlined a detailed map to guide you through the process from start to finish. From where and when you can read, to finding books (which yes! Graphic novels are just fine!) and making the best selection for your family, we’ve done our best to leave no stone unturned.
We also understand that many families may be sitting down to read aloud for the first time. Our tips have been carefully curated to suit readers of all experience levels, and even how to navigate reading aloud to children of different ages – babies and toddlers, preschoolers, and active readers.
Click on each orange header for your section overview, and the navy subheadings for more specific topics and tips to explore, such as: reading aloud in a multilingual household, managing your digital world, and connecting with the authors who’s books you enjoy… and so much more.
Reading aloud as a family builds bonds that will last a lifetime. We hope these tips will help you forge many, many cherished memories!
Benefits
Though the act of reading aloud may seem simple on the surface, the benefit are wide-reaching and have the ability to make a lasting impact. Families can explore the many ways that reading aloud serves as fertilizer for their child’s brains, and how that growth can improve academic performance and the ability to focus. Reading aloud is also a surefire way to build empathy and emotional intelligence while gaining a better understanding of the world.
All that from just sharing a book with your family? Yup!
Printables
We’ve created a set of printables to make reading with your family an even richer experience. You’ll find:
- The Benefits of Reading Aloud – This is a handy, one page guide to read aloud benefits in the previous section. The perfect size for hanging on your fridge!
- Design a Book Cover – Let your imagination run wild… right to the future where your child is a bestselling author. While you’re between books, have your child design and draw their very own book cover.
- Family Library Plan and Family Favorites – This three-sheet printable contains an outline for you to keep track of your book “grocery list” and to record your family’s favorite books you’ve read together. Bring it with you to the library to discover your next family read aloud!
- Picture Book Bingo (Available in Spanish) – Play a game of BINGO and explore further reading tips as you read a picture book!
- Chapter Book Bingo (Available in Spanish) – Play a game of BINGO and check out further reading tips while exploring your favorite chapter book!
- Read Aloud Tips – We’ve compiled our top reading tips onto a single page. It sure makes for a great fridge companion to the Benefits of Reading Aloud!
Just click the images to print or download them.
Videos
In this section, you’ll hear real-life examples of the power of reading aloud from authors Janae Marks (From the Desk of Zoe Washington), Matt de la Peña, and Todd Parr; librarian Betsy Byrd; and literacy advocates Colby Sharp and Dr. Bergen Nelson. We are so thankful to share a rich community of folks who are passionate about the power of reading aloud.
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All of us at Read to Them are excited to launch this feature, and hope it will be a valuable resource for the families we serve. Happy reading!
Do you have suggestions for other resources you’d like to see included with the Family Resources? Let us know in the comments.
