Spending time bonding with your child over a good read-aloud or a chapter book is one of the best ways to sharpen their literacy skills and foster a love of reading. But making time to read together might not always come easily.
Between homework and extracurriculars, finding the time to sit back and relax with a book might be a little more challenging during a busy week. Fortunately, there are plenty of easy ways to incorporate reading into your daily routine. It’s inevitable that your routine will change — and there's no need to feel guilty about that. Plus, that’s where fun reading activities come in!
Sanjuana Rodriguez, PhD, Associate Professor of Reading and Literacy Education at Kennesaw State University and author of Revolutionary Love, and Cecilia Espinosa, PhD, associate professor in Early Childhood and Childhood Education at Lehman College/CUNY, share their strategies for reading on a tight schedule.
Think Beyond Traditional Books
The opportunity to read is everywhere. Thinking beyond the scope of books can greatly alleviate the pressure to sit down and read when you’re pressed for time.
“Have your child help with cooking while following a recipe, help you write and read grocery lists, sing songs, or just tell stories,” says Rodriguez. “These don’t have to be in English — activities in the child’s home language can also lead to academic benefits.”
Reading newspapers, road signs, and store signs are also greatly beneficial for sharpening your child’s literacy skills between activities. Making it into a game, like searching for specific letters or words on road signs or at the grocery store, can be a great way for your child to make real-world connections between what they read and what they can see almost everywhere.
Poetry, songs, and nursery rhymes are also wonderful ways to incorporate reading and storytelling into a busy day.
“Read or share poems, songs, riddles, and nursery rhymes; these only take a few minutes to read and share with the child,” says Espinosa. “Point to the words as you are reading. Share your thoughts as a reader with your child and ask for theirs.”
Use Their Favorite Media
If your child is a gamer or loves watching videos on YouTube, you can find ways to tie them in with your child’s reading. After all, they are great examples of different forms of storytelling.
“Many authors share wonderful read-alouds on YouTube,” says Espinosa. “These experiences can give a busy parent an opportunity to provide a read-aloud for their child at home or anywhere.”
Find read-alouds by their favorite authors or based on their favorite YouTube series to get them engaged with the art of storytelling and world-building. This provides an opportunity for your child to use their imagination.
“Reading aloud is the great predictor of academic achievement, i.e., comprehension of story (fiction), knowing and understanding the world through non-fiction, and vocabulary development,” says Espinosa.
Keep All Kinds of Books On Hand
Whether you’re commuting to school or waiting at the doctor’s office, keeping books in the car or on your phone where they’re easily accessible can make all the difference in your child’s reading.
Audiobooks are another great way to share stories. “Use audiobooks or podcasts for kids when you are in the car,” says Rodriguez. “Audiobooks can help your child to develop their listening skills and are a great opportunity to have discussions with your child.”
When your child learns to associate reading with relaxation and fun, they’ll be more likely to pick up their books on their own during these in-between periods of the day.
Make It Part of Bedtime
If you get off-track with reading one night, no sweat! Just try to dive back in the following night. Aspiring for a consistent reading routine over high-pressure goals (like reading 30 new books per month) can be helpful for some families, and bedtime is ideal for sharing a good book with your child. Not only is it a wonderful bonding opportunity, but it helps your child unwind and make positive connections with reading.
“Make reading a part of the bedtime routine, even if it is just for 5 to 10 minutes,” says Rodriguez. “Choose books that your child loves or topics that they’re interested in. Remember that it’s fine to read books over and over again!”
Take the time to purposefully choose books together that they’ll love and spend a few minutes sharing the story and talking about it. This is a great way for your child to not only relax, but share their interests with you via a captivating story, which will in turn give them wonderful memories as they grow.
Get your child in gear with our back-to-school guide, which is full of recommended books, teacher tips, homework help, and more resources for a successful school year.
Shop the best read-alouds below! You can find all books and activities at The Scholastic Store, where you can get free shipping on book-only orders over $25.
