How to Read More to Your Kids for Fun and Learning

How can you read more to your kids? This is a question that has been on my mind for a while and I think I’ve got some of the answers. Keep reading if you want to know more.

Here’s the rub: you’re a busy Dad. And I mean really busy. I know because I’m the same. Here’s what my ordinary schedule looks like:

5.30am – Wake up, shower and breakfast.

6.30am – Leave the house drive to the gym

7.00am – Gym

8.00am – Arrive at work

5.30/6.00pm Arrive home from work

Which leaves me with around 1 hour with my kids before its time for them to go to bed. Just one hour? You need to make that time count.

I’ve written before about getting your own reading time in, but what about with your kids: Is it something you should be doing more of? And if so, how on earth do you find the time?

Why Dads Should Read to Their Kids

You absolutely should be reading to your children, no matter how young (or old) they are. I grew up having books read to me by parents and older family members and have vivid memories of winter nights by the coal fire listening to a Famous Five or Narnia book.

If you don’t already read to your kids, here’s a smattering of reasons why you should:

1. Reading to your kids is quality bonding time.

When was the last time you just chilled with your children for a few minutes: no screen, no noise, just you and your progeny enjoying each other’s company? Imagine if you set time aside each day to do that. Do you think you’d become more or less close?

Reading to your kids increases the bond you have with them through shared experiences and memories. You’ll spend time talking to each other and young children will want to sit near (or on) you.

Studies have shown that even the tiniest baby can pick out and recognise your voice which is an important reason in itself to start em young.

2. Dads are better at reading stories than Mums

‘Wow, that’s pretty offensive.’

Possibly, however it’s also science which doesn’t care about your feelings.

Studies have shown that children are more stimulated when their fathers read to them compared with similar experiences with their mothers. Here’s researcher Elisabeth Duursma to tell your more:

In our research…with 500 low-income fathers in the US, we found that when fathers read frequently to their children at a young age, this had an impact on their language development one year later and their literacy development two years later. We were quite surprised by this finding.

What was even more striking, was that mothers’ book reading did not have this significant impact on child development…

When we looked more closely at what was happening during book reading interactions, we found that fathers used more abstract and complex language.

When sharing a book with their child, they would often link events in the book to a child’s own experience. For example, when a ladder was discussed in the book, many fathers mentioned the last time they had used a ladder to climb up on the roof or use it for their work. Mothers did not do this.

(Source)

So there really is no excuse for not reading to your kids – you’re already a natural as the fathers in this study showed.

3. It’s fun.

OK, OK, I know – reading Stick Man over and over and over and over and over to your three year old isn’t much fun. But once you get past that stage you’re going to have a blast.

There are hundreds of hilarious and entertaining children’s books, many of which have been written with you, the grown-up, in mind.

I listened to a radio interview with well known children’s author Julia Donaldson. She explained how she wrote her books specifically for adults to read aloud – now there’s someone who truly understands her market.

If you’re choosing children’s books, find an author that you like and stick with them. That’s how I choose my own reading list, why would my kids’ be any different? If you want to ‘try before you buy’, public libraries let you do that (and have for a while now). More on this later.

Dads: Read more to Your Kids – It’s Science and Fun

So I’ve now convinced you of the importance and enjoyability of reading to your children as well as pointing out that you’re already a pro. So how do you go about getting more time to read to your kids even if you have a busy schedule? Here’s my take.

Set Aside Time to Read

Reading with your kids should become a habit. And habits are best introduced into your life through repetition and discipline.

Think about exercise. You lift or do your cardio at the same times of day, every week. Why? Because it’s harder to miss a workout if you always hit the gym at 7.00am, three days a week.

The same principle applies to reading. If you have a system that means you read a book (or part of a book) every time you put your kids to bed, then you’re more likely to read more to them on a consistent basis.

For more on developing systems, I recommend Scott Adam’s book:

Every night, when I put my kids to bed, we read the Bible and pray together. Then we read a story. They get to take it in turns to choose the book (and I retain a veto for banal material or ‘junk’). That way, it becomes part of our bed time system.

Start Small and Build Up Gradually

Life is full of people telling you that you have to do this, that and the next thing. But I’m a firm believer that you don’t ‘have to’ do much of anything. Instead you have the ability to choose and tailor your lifestyle as you see fit.

So when it comes to books, you don’t have to read a whole book in one sitting. Just reading a few pages together is better than nothing. If you started finding time to  read two pages each day, that’s a book ever 2 weeks (or 26 books a year). See how it all adds up?

If you haven’t been reading to your kids regularly and want to start, shock tactics of book marathons with iPad confiscated isn’t going to help them foster a love of books. But a little reading every day will encourage them to want to read more and more.

Read More to Your Kids: Find Books that You Love

A lot of your kids’ enjoyment of reading comes down to you. Yes, you’re already a natural (see above), but that doesn’t mean you can slack off and just read any old thing.

It takes time and effort to find worthwhile reading material – but that’s what you’re going to have to do if you’re committed to reading more with your kids (yes I know I wrote have to  but I don’t own you. The choice is yours whether you follow my advice or not).

You don’t even have to read educational books. Silly or funny books can be just as enjoyable for everyone.

Some of my favourite kids books are a bit silly, but have a useful message or educational point to them. That’s the holy grail – if your kids are learning but having too much fun to notice.

Your local public library has hundreds of children’s books available for you to read and borrow. This lets you ‘try before you buy.’ If there’s a book your kids really like, then buying it makes sense. But if you borrow seven titles and they bore you all to tears, take them back and move on.

How to Read More to Your Kids – Love Reading Yourself

I’m a firm believer that you are one of the biggest influencers of your kids lifestyle and habits. So if they see that you value books and love reading, are they more or less likely to follow in your footsteps?

Are your kids going to read more if your bookshelves are full of Tolstoy or ‘The Walking Dead’ box sets?

If there are no books lying around the house how will they pick one up to read in a quiet moment?

If the TV or tablet is constantly on, will they learn to find entertainment in the pages of a book?

These are challenging thoughts for all of us. Because ultimately it’s the choices that we make day-to-day that will have the most impact on whether we read more with our kids. And whether they inherit our love of books.

Challenge yourself today to read more to them, to foster a love of the written word in them (and you!). And don’t ever look back.

Neil

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